The food systems approach taken in the next agri-food strategy will “ensure that farmers are economically sustainable,” Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.

Speaking on Morning Ireland on Monday from Rome where he is attending the UN Food Systems pre-summit, he said Ireland is known across the world for having a very sustainable agricultural system.

“That’s very much based on the fact that, unlike many other international competitors, we’re based on a grass-based production system.

“It’s very much about international and world-level taking a food systems approach to agricultural production which will ensure that the way we produce food ensures that farmers are economically sustainable, but also environmentally sustainable and socially sustainable and working to ensure that all countries across the world move to that type of approach,” he said.

Ahead of the curve

The Minister said Ireland is well ahead of the curve in that regard, as the 2030 food strategy under the chairmanship of Tom Arnold has been completed.

“We’ll be the first country in the world to have a national strategy which is about taking a food systems approach, which will ensure that we are a world leader in relation to sustainable food production,” he said.

We’ll be the first country in the world to have a national strategy which is about taking a food systems approach

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) defines a food systems approach as a sustainable food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all, in such a way that the economic sustainability of farmers, social sustainability and environmental sustainability are not compromised.

Carbon foorprint

The Minister said that overall agriculture accounts for just under 35% of Ireland’s emissions profile.

“That’s quite different from other European countries and developed countries because we don’t have the same industrialised space and also because agriculture is the leading sector within out national economy and indeed the leading national employer.

“As we go forward now it will be about how we reduce that footprint, that’s something that is very much part of the climate action planning that we’re currently doing.

“But central to that will be continuing to produce food to feed not only Ireland but to drive the tremendous exports that we have built up over the years and to feed those around the world, but to do so in a way that is sustainable and to build on what we have already achieved, and also to do so in a way that very much looks at how we interact with human health and the environment.

“As a country we’ll very much be a leader in that regard and certainly feeding into the food system summit in Rome here today.

“We have a model which can be an example to many other countries around the world and which actually see us continue to play a leading role internationally but also importantly ensure that agriculture remains a key driver of our national economy, but in a way that is really sustainable and very much in sync with the environment around us,” he said.