The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has today (Friday, May 20) published the formal implementation plan for Food Vision 2030, the strategy for the agri-food sector.
The plan, which was developed by a committee of stakeholders from the various agricultural and marine sectors, sets out a roadmap for Ireland to become a leading country in sustainable food systems.
Divided into four overarching goals, the strategy focuses on environmental sustainability in the agri-food sector; viability and resilience among the country’s primary producers; safe, trusted and nutritious food that is valued worldwide; and an innovative sector driven by technology.
It also includes a breakdown of the stakeholders, deliverables and timeframes for each goal. Speaking about the formal publication, Minister McConalogue said:
“Food Vision 2030 is a landmark for the Irish agri-food sector and has the potential to further enhance our agriculture, food, forestry and marine sectors in the period to 2030.
“Food Vision 2030 sets out an ambitious, yet achievable, pathway to sustainability in all its dimensions: environmental, economic and social.”
Speaking about the actions within the strategy that are already underway, Minister McConalogue referred to the work of the Food Vision Dairy Group, which is developing a plan to sustainably manage the carbon footprint of the dairy sector.
“At the core what we want to achieve is a roadmap to keep our farmers and fishers as well as their families and businesses doing what they do best: producing world class food in a safe, sustainable and traceable manner.”
The minister is set to chair the third meeting of the Food Vision 2030 High Level Implementation Committee next week, which monitors the progress of the strategy in reaching the 22 goals set out under the four missions.
“The success of the strategy will depend on effective implementation and oversight,” the minister explained.
“I am committed to work with the sector in achieving the ambition it has set out in Food Vision 2030, to become a world leader in sustainable food systems over the next decade, delivering significant benefits for the Irish agri-food sector, for Irish society and the environment,” he concluded.