Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, addressed the "climate resilience of Irish agriculture" at the UN's Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) international gathering on Monday, as the UN launched its guidelines on the environmental performance of feed additives in livestock supply chains.
Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), LEAP is a multi-stakeholder initiative with the goal to improve the environmental sustainability of the livestock sector.
Minister McConalogue said: “Research is critical in progressing state of the art technologies to improve both the carbon efficiency and climate resilience of Irish agriculture.”
Guidelines
With increased availability of environmental assessment methodologies and the need to provide evidence in support of policies on sustainable livestock production, the FAO LEAP partnership has worked on the harmonisation of methods to assess the footprint of feed additives as set out in the guidelines.
One such example is the ‘METH-ABATE’ project funded by the Department of Agriculture and led by Teagasc, which is looking at the development and validation of technologies to reduce methane emissions from pasture based Irish agricultural systems.
The project includes evaluating a number of feed additives to mitigate methane emissions while simultaneously monitoring animal productivity.
Role to play
Minister McConalogue added: “For many countries, livestock represents a major pillar for food security, ecosystem services and GDP.
“There are challenges ahead for the livestock sector globally and I believe that Ireland has a leadership role to play in plotting a course towards a future food production system which does not impact negatively on the environment.”
Read more
McConalogue calls for 'green ambition' and payments ceiling under new CAP
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Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, addressed the "climate resilience of Irish agriculture" at the UN's Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) international gathering on Monday, as the UN launched its guidelines on the environmental performance of feed additives in livestock supply chains.
Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), LEAP is a multi-stakeholder initiative with the goal to improve the environmental sustainability of the livestock sector.
Minister McConalogue said: “Research is critical in progressing state of the art technologies to improve both the carbon efficiency and climate resilience of Irish agriculture.”
Guidelines
With increased availability of environmental assessment methodologies and the need to provide evidence in support of policies on sustainable livestock production, the FAO LEAP partnership has worked on the harmonisation of methods to assess the footprint of feed additives as set out in the guidelines.
One such example is the ‘METH-ABATE’ project funded by the Department of Agriculture and led by Teagasc, which is looking at the development and validation of technologies to reduce methane emissions from pasture based Irish agricultural systems.
The project includes evaluating a number of feed additives to mitigate methane emissions while simultaneously monitoring animal productivity.
Role to play
Minister McConalogue added: “For many countries, livestock represents a major pillar for food security, ecosystem services and GDP.
“There are challenges ahead for the livestock sector globally and I believe that Ireland has a leadership role to play in plotting a course towards a future food production system which does not impact negatively on the environment.”
Read more
McConalogue calls for 'green ambition' and payments ceiling under new CAP
SIPTU and meat processors agree safety protocol for factory workers
TDs question why beef PGI is not farmer-led
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