The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, have announced the first step in the implementation of key recommendations from the National Task Team on Rural Africa’s (NTTRA) report, with the establishment of the Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee (IARDC).
The IARDC will be responsible for ensuring the implementation, accountability and resourcing of the NTTRA report’s recommendations and will seek to strengthen the coordination of Ireland’s existing contribution to the transformation of Africa’s agriculture and rural economy.
The IARDC will comprise representatives from both departments, as well as the relevant state agencies, the private sector, academia and the African community in Ireland.
Minister McConalogue said: “I welcome the report of the National Task Team for Rural Africa. The report recommendations will deliver a coherent national response that harnesses the capacity and expertise of all stakeholders within the Irish agri-food sector in its future partnership with Africa.
Agriculture is the backbone of rural food security and livelihoods. This report will lead to a more effective Irish contribution to the development of sustainable food systems in Africa which are critical in reducing hunger and improving nutrition and health.
“Importantly, it will also provide a framework for stronger agri-business linkages between Ireland and Africa, including a focus on supporting female entrepeneurs,” Minister McConalogue said.
Appointment of Special Envoy on Food Systems
The two ministers have also announced the appointment of Tom Arnold as the Government of Ireland’s Special Envoy on Food Systems.
In addition to his role as Special Envoy, Arnold is also a member of the UN Food System Summit’s Champions Group and has recently been appointed by the European Commission to chair a new High Level Expert Group (HLEG) whose mandate is to assess the needs, options, impacts and possible approach for an International Platform for Food Systems Science (IPFSS).
Speaking in relation to Tom Arnold’s appointment, Minister Coveney said: “In recent years, [Tom] has played a pivotal role on Food Systems thinking and initiatives, domestically and internationally.
Tom’s extensive knowledge of food and agriculture policy, his understanding of the African context, and his unparalleled experience will be invaluable.
“I fully expect that Ireland’s engagement in the summit, and Tom’s role in it, will help us to share and promote Ireland’s experiences and ambitions in food systems, including agri-food innovation, food safety, nutrition, sustainable farming and food production, and public-private partnerships.”
Tom Arnold’s role as Special Envoy will be to communicate Ireland’s position and policy priorities in the run-up to, and in the wake of, the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021.
He will also engage with a broad range of key actors and stakeholders within the global food systems network,to communicate Ireland’s support and promotion of sustainable food systems.
The Food Systems Summit will provide an opportunity for Ireland to demonstrate leadership, both in terms of its domestic policy on sustainable food systems and in integrating food systems thinking into its wider foreign policy, including development cooperation.