Ireland’s new 10-year agri-food strategy Food Vision 2030 builds on net-zero commitments while also pledging to boost farm incomes.
The strategy titled ‘Food Vision 2030 – A World Leader in Sustainable Food Systems’ sets out Ireland’s ambition to grow agri-food exports from €14 billion to €21 billion by 2030 while also improving the resilience and sustainability of the industry.
Targets for sustainability will include emissions, biodiversity and water quality.
Food Vision 2030
The ultimate goal of ‘Food Vision 2030’ is that Ireland will become a world leader in sustainable food systems, delivering benefits for the sector, Irish society and the environment.
The strategy was developed by a committee with 32 members chaired by Irish agricultural economist and public policy advisor Tom Arnold.
It sets out four central aims:
- A climate-smart, environmentally sustainable agri-food sector;
- Viable and resilient primary producers, with enhanced well-being;
- Food that is safe, nutritious and appealing, trusted and valued at home and abroad;
- An innovative, competitive and resilient sector, driven by technology and talent.
These are supported by a total of 22 goals, which in turn are underpinned by 200 actions.
While the strategy does set targets for progress by 2030, the focus is on the overall strategic direction of the sector.
It is an overarching strategy and a lot of the detailed implementation will have to be the subject of separate processes.
This will be overseen by the high-level committee to be established and chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The 10-year strategy for the agri-food sector aims to add value sustainably to the industry into the future, with a strategic focus on environmental protection.
Improving farm incomes
One of the key goals which will pique the interests of Agriland readers is the prospect of increasing farm incomes.
One of the central missions of the strategy is to improve the economic and social sustainability of farms with an “upward trend in Family Farm Income”.
According to the strategy there is scope to boost farm income and employment by “embedding the agri-food sector in a circular bio-economy”. It suggests policy could support the adoption of green energy projects on farms or ‘carbon farming’.
“These opportunities can come from the use of raw materials from grassland, crops, forestry and bio-marine systems to develop new bio-based value chains and this mission expands on some of these opportunities,” the strategy states.
The resulting aim is an increase in viable and sustainable farms.
It also outlines plans for funding to support innovation, knowledge and technology-driven industry projects to improve competitiveness and resilience along the food chain.
The creation of value-added lines, through insight and innovation, supporting the food sector and continuing to develop market opportunities at home and abroad, is with a view to reaching €21 billion in agri-food exports by 2030.