The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has seen at first hand the ongoing impacts of climate change and conflict on Ethiopian farmers during an international development mission as part of the government’s 2024 St. Patrick’s Day programme.
During his visit to Ethiopia Minister McConalogue also confirmed that €30 million will be allocated to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), specifically to respond to the mounting humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa.
Last week he announced a funding commitment of €105 million to the WFP from Ireland for the period 2025 to 2027.
Speaking from Ethiopia, Minister McConalogue said his meetings with small-holder farmers in Semera underlined the “similarities between Ireland and Ethiopia”.
“We both have rural and agricultural backgrounds, with farming playing a key role in our economies and societies.
“Ireland’s support of WFP anticipatory action measures enables WFP to develop smallholder farmer resilience and to build agricultural capacity,” he added.
Minister McConalogue
The minister has warned that the scale of humanitarian crisis across the Horn of Africa “is devastating”.
“The threat of further deterioration for those people most affected due to conflict, climate change and the crippling impact of inflation on basic foodstuffs cannot be ignored.
“My visit to Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan has laid bare for me the imperative for Ireland to act now and scale up our humanitarian response. WFP is one of Ireland’s best placed partners to save lives,” Minister McConalogue added.
The commitment of €30 million for the Horn of Africa falls within the overall Strategic Partnership Agreement, and the funds will be specifically earmarked for Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia between 2025-2027.
St Patrick’s Day programme
All of the ministerial team at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) are taking part in the State’s St Patrick’s Day programme to “bring Ireland’s message to 86 cities in 48 countries”.
Minister of State with responsibility for land use and biodiversity, Pippa Hackett is visiting Finland, Estonia and Latvia.
Earlier today Minister Hackett visited the Martinelis family that brought the first herd of Highland cattle to Lithuania and heard how they helped to transform land that was “poor and badly in need of grazing livestock to improve the soil organic matter”.
Meanwhile the Minister of State with responsibility for research and development, farm safety and new market development, Martin Heydon has travelled to Germany as part of the St Patrick’s Day programme.
During his visit the minister attended a meeting at a leading agricultural research institute at the University of Hohenheim.
He also discussed the strong trade and agricultural links between Ireland and Baden-Württemberg with the German state secretary in the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection, Sabine Kurtz.