Following on from the publication today of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Macra na Feirme (Macra) has said that young farmers are key in tackling agricultural emissions-reduction targets.
From improving the genetic merit of both the dairy and beef herds to using technologies to monitor animal behavior to better understand emissions, young farmers have already demonstrated a willingness to engage in measures that both reduce emissions and improve on-farm viability, according to Macra.
The recent Climate Action Bill noted the importance of agriculture in sequestering and storing CO2, providing an opportunity for Irish farmers to get recognition for on-farm practices that can have a major impact in reducing the sector’s emissions, the farming body said.
According to its president, John Keane:
“Agriculture is uniquely placed to sequester and store CO2 and policies must ensure that this sequestering and storage is attributed to farmers and agriculture.
“Young farmers are essential in driving on farm change and adoption of new technologies to reduce emissions, but it must also be realised that these very same champions of climate-change mitigation need to be provided with a future in which they can grow and thrive in,” he said.
He said the government must now look to “maximise Ireland’s potential in continuing to grow our sustainability credentials” while also supporting growth in our sector which, on a global level, is a leader.
It is also clear that global food production must be focused in areas where farmers are most efficient and sustainable, he said.
Irish family farms are perfectly positioned to meet the growing global demand for food while also reducing emissions and ensuring the long-term survival of our planet,” he said.