An online ‘dashboard’ system to monitor the progress of actions under the Food Vision 2030 Strategy is currently being finalised and will be launched on a “phased basis” shortly, according to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.
In response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin Meath East TD Darren O’Rourke, the minister said that the dashboard is being developed to establish baseline environmental, economic and social data, and monitor progress against the goals.
The dashboard is currently being finalised, with a phased launch to stakeholders expected to begin shortly, the minister said.
Following this, the dashboard will be made available to the public through the government’s website.
Food Vision 2030 is a strategy for the agri-food sector up to 2030 which, according to Minister McConalogue, focuses on environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
Th strategy has four missions:
- Mission 1 – A climate smart, environmentally sustainable agri-food sector;
- Mission 2 – Viable and resilient primary producers, with enhanced wellbeing;
- Mission 3 – Food that is safe, nutritious and appealing, trusted and valued at home and abroad;
- Mission 4 – Innovative, competitive and resilient agri-food sector, driven by technology and talent.
The second Food Vision Annual Report, which was published in June to cover the year 2023, showed that 20 of the strategy’s 218 actions across the four strategies have been completed, which is 9% of all actions.
121 actions, or 55% have “substantial actions undertaken”, while 75 of actions, or 34%, have commenced and are progressing.
Some of the key developments in the strategy in 2023, according to the report, include the launch of the new Forestry Porgramme; a new Fertiliser Database; Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan; the establishment of An Rialálaí Agraibhia (Agri-Food Regulator); the National Genotyping Programme; the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP); and the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme.
In his response to Deputy O’Rourke’s question, Minister McConalogue said: “I am committed to leading on Food Vision as we seek to deliver on our ambitions. I established a High-Level Implementation Committee and have chaired eleven meetings to date, with the next meeting planned for October.
“Its key task is to ensure the delivery of the four missions through stakeholder collaboration,” the minister said.