Registration to attend an upcoming conference on how to achieve sustainable food systems in Ireland is now open.
The free conference will be hosted by EIT-Climate KIC, as part of its Community Week in Ireland, in O’Reilly Hall, University College Dublin (UCD), with the morning plenary sessions broadcast online, on September 28.
EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, supporting cities, regions, countries and industries to bridge the gap between climate commitments and current reality.
It has partnered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to accelerate Ireland’s pathways to climate neutrality.
The conference will present the progress so far on EIT Climate-KIC and DAFM’s Deep Demonstration partnership, which aims to test solutions to accelerate systemic change in Ireland at scale.
One of the solutions the partnership is exploring, in the short term, is climate-neutral beef production and emission reduction on dairy farms.
The long-term solutions involve “reimagining Ireland’s agri-food system” by 2050.
Commenting on the partnership, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, said:
“The solutions developed and tested will assist our farmers, rural communities and the wider agri-food and bio-based sector to build resilient approaches and solutions to the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability.”
Attendees will have a chance to voice their perspective during thematic breakout sessions and workshops in the afternoon on topics including just transition, financing innovation, dairy and tillage, and regional bio-economy.
Martin Heydon, Minister of state with responsibility for research and development, farm safety and new market development, will open the conference in a keynote session with EIT Climate KIC CEO Kirsten Dublop, and John Bell, director for Healthy Planet at European Commission’s directorate general for research and development
Conference agenda
There will be five panel discussions at the ‘From farm to fork: Shaping sustainable food systems’ event, with the following topics tabled.
Why do we need systems innovation for land, agri-food transformation in Europe?
Moderated by Kirsten Dunlop, chief executive officer, EIT Climate-KIC, with Martin Heydon, and John Bell.
What does systems innovation in the land, agri-food system look like for Ireland?
Moderated by Andy Kerr, chief strategy officer, EIT Climate-KIC, with Bill Callanan, chief agriculture inspector at the DAFM and Saskia Visser, land use, agri-food and sustainable bio-economy orchestrator, EIT Climate-KIC
How is systems innovation for sustainable food systems being delivered elsewhere?
Moderated by Saskia Visser, featuring Maša Žagar, director general for agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Slovenia, and Daniela Ibarra-Howell, CEO and co-founder, The Savoury Institute.
Leadership and initiatives from Ireland’s land, agri-food system
This panel will feature Pat McCormack, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) president, and Richard Clinton, group commercial director, Dawn Meats.
How do we create an enabling environment for systems innovation in Ireland?
Moderated by Luke Baker, investment programme manager, EIT Climate-KIC and Catriona Power, Cluster Manager, Circular Bio-economy Cluster South-West, Munster Technological University and Patrick Barret,, agricultural inspector – bioeconomy, agriculture knowledge and innovation system and agri-digitalisation at DAFM.
There will be a coffee and lunch break throughout the day, with networking areas displaying innovative agri-food initiatives, including FARMEYE and Earthworm Foundation. The conference will wrap up around 5:00p.m with networking drinks.
For more information or to register for this free event on September 28, click here.
