Ireland needs to encourage climate adaptation according to a new European Union (EU) study that examined the impact of extreme climate events on agricultural production.
The study, published by the European Parliament, explored Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans in the context of solutions that were put forward to address key climate challenges.
The study highlighted that Ireland, like the rest of the EU needs to tailor its CAP strategic plans for increased risks of weather events as a whole.
It outlined:
“To improve the resilience of EU farming systems to severe climate events, systemic approaches at farm level should be fostered by CAP interventions”.
Research shows that losses in the EU agricultural sector account for more than 60% of drought-linked losses. This costs about €5 billion annually.
Specific vulnerable sub-sectors identified in the European Parliament study included:
- Non-irrigated cereals;
- Tubers grown in regions with heavy precipitation;
- Livestock for its dependence on green fodder.
It found that damage due to extreme weather events will continue to happen and have “cascading consequences” on agriculture.
The study suggested potential “adaptation options” for farmers which included:
- Risk management tools (insurance, mutual funds, hedging, or risk pooling);
- Early warning systems implemented by local authorities;
- Income stabilisation by adhering to risk management schemes;
- Improvements to soil health and healthy functioning of the agroecosystems;
- Investment equipment (hail nets, greenhouses, irrigation, etc.)
Climate policies
It also recommended that synergies between water management policies, agricultural policies and climate policies need to be strengthened.
According to the report this can be done by employing CAP funding to address flood and drought risk management.
For Ireland in particular, the report contained a recommendation that it should focus on encouraging farm diversification to improve the resilience of the agri-food sector.
It also said that increasing awareness of risk management tools and encouraging financial planning, along with improving soil health is important.
Irish MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, who attended the launch of the report at the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, said that there was “no mention of agroforestry” in adaptations put forward.
“Insurance schemes are not going to solve the problems we have with climate change, good policy is going to solve that and things that prevent this happening in the future”, said Flanagan.
“We’re going to solve it with agroforestry, paludiculture in areas that are currently being asked to rewet, we’re going to solve it with innovative solutions. We will not solve it with money
“Ultimately we’ll end up with a whole load of cash in the future, with no food, and I don’t know about you, but cash can’t be eaten,” the MEP added.