Obs on Agri- Food Strategy 2025
Obs on Agri- Food Strategy 2025
The DepartmentEnvironment, Community and Local Government welcomes the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy Public Consultation prepared by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Any comments at this stage are purely high level and this Department looks forward to on-going consultation on the detail as it emerges in terms of processes already in place but also at critical junctures in the overall development of the 2025 Agri-Food strategy. This Department welcomes the intention to carry out an environmental analysis and note that consultation will also form part of that particular process.
This Department anticipates that the draft Agri-Food policy will incorporate high standards of environmental sustainability throughout the thinking which underpinsthe policy and in the final policy document itself. ThisDepartment is encouraged by the existing environmental measures which can be further developed through strong consultation with this Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. It would be key that any further agricultural grant schemes and policies have an inbuilt environment sustainability element.
This would only reflect the government policy as outlined in ‘Our Sustainable Future’ The Government’s Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland – Our Sustainable Future sets out a vision on how we can transition Ireland to a resource efficient, low-carbon and climate resilient future, and notes that that this sustainable approach to economic development complements the core strength of our economy in the use of natural resources across a number of sectors, including agriculture.
The Department’s submission in respect of this public consultation comments on the particular matters concerning the DECLG, which relate primarily to the matters raised under Section 2 (Sustainability/Climate Change). The Department considers that many of the matters raised under Section 2 are inter-related and are also linked to the necessity of adaptation to climate change.
In general, the Department considers the “Food Harvest 2020 – Milestones for Success 2014” referenced in the DAFM’s public consultation questionnaire to be informative in terms of submitting observations on a number of matters which are of particular relevance to the DECLG. The Department notes the content of Section 3 (‘Green’) of “Milestones for Success 2014” document, which states inter alia that
- the central issue still remains that agricultural and fishing activities have potential impacts on emissions levels, on biodiversity and on air, water and soil quality; and
- the HLIC agreed that the conclusion of the Environmental Analysis of Food Harvest 2020 report would be mainstreamed into their work programme, and that Milestones for Success 2014 and future annual reports would specifically report on environmental actions, and that actions of public bodies would take this report into account;
- agriculture is responsible for 32% of national GHG emissions; and
- notwithstanding ongoing gains in efficiency, in the absence of mitigation actions, Teagasc-FAPRI analysis projects a 12% increase in agricultural GHG emissions by 2020.
The mitigation measures relating to GHG emissions referred to in Section 3 (‘Green’) are noted. The Department is of the view that there should be no increase in GHG emissions as a result of growth targets of Food Harvest 2020 being achieved. Accordingly, the Department strongly supports the promotion of mitigation measures to ensure zero growth of GHG emissions, and supports the on-going and future research by Teagasc and other bodies in this area.
With regard to air quality generally, the Department is also supportive of mitigation measures which are required to reduce ammonia emissions, reference to which is contained in Food Harvest 2020 – Environment Analysis Report. In particular, the Department is supportive of continued research in this area.
The recognition, set out in the “Milestones for Success 2014” document, of the need for a comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability is welcomed.
The Department considers that the importance of River Basin management Plans (RBMPs) and the need to comply with same should be contained in the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy.
With regard to transportation, the Department would like to see how sustainable transportation patterns and measures can be achieved, in tandem with achieving a low carbon economy, as part of the projected growth of the agri-food sector.
In addition, the Department notes the content of Food Harvest 2020 – Environmental Analysis Report, which states, inter alia,
“Forestry’s contribution to the Irish economy is noted as are the existing ambitious targets in place for an increased rate of forestation. Forestry is key role in the protection of biodiversity, the provision of bioenergy as well as potential carbon sequestration and community enhancement through recreation are recognised. The ability of forestry and bioenergy to contribute to government targets in relation to renewable energy are seen as part of that sectors contribution to the achievement of Food Harvest 2020 targets”.
The Department considers that the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy should demonstrate how anticipated increases in energy usage vis-à-vis the State’s obligations for renewable energy can be reconciled.
With regard to biodiversity generally, the Department is of the view that any strategic policy to expand and intensify farming/food production should take account of the requirements of Appropriate Assessment (AA).
Section 1
With regard to one of the questions set out under Section 1 of the questionnaire, which asks what the scale of ambition for the agri-food sector should be, the Department would tend to the view that the findings of any AA and environmental reports compiled as part of the preparation of the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy should inform the appropriate, sustainable level of growth for this sector.
Climate change and Greenhouse Gases
Ireland faces a specific challenge in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and removals related to agriculture and land use, including forestry. Within the EU, we have a distinct greenhouse gas emissions profile due to a number of factors, including the high share of emissions associated with ruminant livestock in the agriculture sector. This is due to the scale of our agriculture and food industry relative to our overall economy as opposed to inefficiencies - on the contrary, we have a carbon-efficient agriculture and food sector.
A way forward must be found at a national, EU and wider international level under the UN Climate Convention that addresses the climate impact of the agriculture and land use sector as a whole - livestock and land - without compromising existing and future capacity for sustainable food production. To do this, we must find the optimal balance between emissions and removals within the agriculture and land use sector, equally taking into account the policy balance across priorities such as the need to maximise sustainable food productions. Taking these considerations into account, the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development, published in April 2014, sets out the following long-term vision of low carbon transition for the agriculture and land use sector, including forestry, reflecting where the balance of environmental, social and economic considerations lie at this time:
"an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production".
Work is on-going on the development of a National Mitigation Plan, which will specify the manner in which it is proposed to achieve the national transition objective as set out in the National Policy Position. A Steering group comprised of representatives from the key sectors, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is overseeing the development of this Plan. The Steering group provides the appropriate forum to further develop national climate policy within a consultative framework and to discuss and provide a mechanism to address cross-cutting issues across the key sectors. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015, which is due for publication very soon, will help underpin this process by providing the appropriate legislative basis for this planning process.
In conclusion, the Department wishes to emphasise the importance of the principles of sustainable development being incorporated into the preparation of the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy and looks forward to further detailed consultation on the strategy.
January 2015