Ireland is a country that can produce high quality food efficiently and sustainably. In a world where increasingly many countries are challenged in their ability to do this, it is vitally important that Ireland continues to produce such food, while being conscious that each sector of our economy plays its part in achieving Ireland’s climate targets. That includes agriculture.
To achieve these dual aims, of meeting climate targets and continuing to produce food an feed, my Department has several policies and strategies in place. Indeed, we are ambitious with the Food Vision 2030 Strategy setting out a pathway for Ireland to become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems over the next decade. Coupled with this is my commitment to reducing food waste as set out in Food Vision 2030 as well as the recently published Food Waste Prevention Road Map.
In practical terms, some of the types of actions that the sector is undertaking include reducing chemical Nitrogen usage, changing fertiliser type, and providing voluntary diversification options for our farmers.
My Department is investing in research across a range of mitigation headings. There is significant potential for technologies such as feed additives to contribute to reducing Methane. Furthermore, the implementation of a low emission breeding programme has significant potential to harness the genetic variation for Methane emissions that exists within the national herd. The results of this research also highlight the potential to breed more environmentally sustainable animals, without impacting food production.
There is no doubt that some farmers will take up diversification options that are provided for as part of our climate transformation including to areas such as Organics, Forestry, Tillage and the provision of feedstock for Anaerobic Digestion. However, given the efficiency gains that continue to be made at farm level, I remain confident that we will continue to reduce emissions from our agri-food system without reducing our production.
My aim is to future proof Ireland’s Agri-Food sector for the benefit of our industry, the environment, and our farm families. It is critical that we work together to achieve our environmental targets while maintaining food production.
