Support is being sought for farmers to "help build local food systems".

The agroecology and small-scale production advocacy group, Talamh Beo, has proposed a new "income support system" for "local food farmers".

It said the proposals could "stimulate local food production, increase resilience and supply" by providing income support to farmers "committed to feeding their local areas".

This policy proposal stems from Talamh Beo’s wider food policy framework, and follows from 18 months of primary research into the sector, it said.

Talamh Beo's proposed 'basic income for local food farmers' is described as a "straightforward, fair and implementable" income support mechanism with two main elements: the institutional recognition of ‘local food farms’; and targeted income support of €350 per week.

As outlined, with an indicative reference cohort of 600 recipients, the net cost per annum would be €8.3 million, which Talamh Beo said is approximately 0.4% of DAFM’s €1.98 billion current expenditure allocation. 

Local food

Talamh Beo said: "Local food farmers play an important role in Ireland's food system, strengthening food sovereignty by supplying fresh food to domestic markets while contributing to a broad range of environmental, social and economic outcomes.

"However, this critical sector has remained largely invisible to the government and inadequately supported - with Ireland currently importing fruit and vegetables which could be produced here.

According to Talamh Beo, eligibility of farmers would be based on four core characteristics: primary food production; short food supply chain orientation; commercial activity; and agroecological farming practices. 

The intention is to provide a "predictable income" for farmers and increase the supply of local food available in Ireland.

Talamh Beo will be officially launching the proposal on October 29 in Trinity College Dublin, during the Feeding Ourselves Symposium.