Statistics on global food security “make you stop and think how fortunate we are in this country”, according to a member of the Seanad.
Senator Tim Lombard was speaking after a meeting between members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine – of which he is a member – and a delegation from the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday (Thursday, August 24).
The WFP delegations was led by its executive director, US businesswomen and diplomat Cindy McCain, who also met with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue yesterday.
Lombard said that the committee members had “positive engagement” with the WFP team.
The WFP delegation told the committee that there are some 345 million food insecure people globally, and that an estimated 40 million people are “severely food insecure” and in grave danger of plunging into famine.
Furthermore, around 45 million children under the age of five are now estimated to be experiencing acute malnutrition.
Lombard commented: “In light of these statistics, it makes us even more aware of the important role Ireland plays in food security.
“The WFP was very clear on the pivotal role that Ireland plays in producing food for up to 40 million people. The world needs food, including high quality food like beef and dairy products,” he added.
“It was really interesting to get a global perspective on food production. The role Ireland plays in producing food for the rest of the world often gets lost in some of the current debates about our dairy and beef sector, and its importance shouldn’t be underestimated.”
According to Lombard, the meeting also highlighted the role that the EU must play in addressing global food insecurity.
He said: “It was clear that the EU needs to use its influence to ensure access to certain international markets and that better engagement is required to raise awareness and resources.
“A delegation from the agricultural committee is traveling to Brussels in early September for meetings with the European Commission and we will certainly be raising the issues discussed at the WFP meeting today with the commission,” Lombard added.
Senator Victor Boyhan also commented after the meeting, saying that he asked McCain to “use her power and influence across the world to say that Ireland is open, ready, and willing to produce food to aid the WFP”.
“Irish farmers and agri-businesses have the capability to provide high-quality produce including long lasting and nutritious milk formula. Ireland has food and dairy capacity and knowledge to make a tangible difference to [the World Food Programme],” Boyhan added.