Airfield Estate with its Youth Board has launched ‘Food Systems Through the Eyes of Young People’.

The report examines what Ireland’s young people want from their food system, how they perceive the agri-food sector, food culture, and their vision for its future.

The report shares an analysis of the social landscape surrounding food, agriculture and youth engagement in Ireland, with recommendations for policymakers, educators and sustainability organisations.

The project is the first from Airfield’s inaugural Youth Board. This first-of-its-kind piece of research saw the Youth Board speak to 318 young people aged 16 to 30, representing 22 counties across the Republic of Ireland (majority Dublin).

An in-depth survey assessed their knowledge of food origins, awareness of opportunities in the agri-food sector and their perceptions of farming and the food system.

From food prices to production, the report was created in the context of a challenging food system in Ireland, e.g., 83% of the fruit and vegetables we consume are not Irish, while the agriculture sector was directly responsible for 37.8% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023.

Report findings regarding the food system

The report offers a comprehensive look at how young people in Ireland perceive the food system and understand their relationship to it.

Key themes include:

Food relationships: Young people feel disconnected from their food
A key theme of the report looks at young people’s relationship with the food they eat and their feelings about the food system. A majority of young people were not positive about Ireland’s food system, with 7 in 10 young people feeling confused (11%) / sad (11%) / indifferent (19%) or concerned (22%) about the Irish food system. Only 3 in 10 were feeling positive – with some feeling proud (17%) and a group feeling optimistic (15%);
Priorities – taste and enjoyment matters most: When thinking about the food system and how it relates to them, the majority of young people were concerned with taste/enjoyment (33%) and health/nutrition (25%). Concerns like ethical production (4%), climate change (14%) and cost (14%) ranked lower;
Young people report lack of education on food and food sector: Another key theme of the report showed that young people are not very positive about Ireland’s food system, don’t have enough information about it and haven’t been told what the agri-food sector offers them.
- High trust: While young people broadly trust the food system (58%), an overwhelming majority of young people (68%) want to see a change in the current systems of food production;
- Low knowledge: Nearly half of young people (45%) rated their age group as having little to no knowledge of the environmental impacts of the food system, while only 15% considered them to be informed or very informed on the food system’s impact on the planet;
Concern for the future of Irish food is evident: When thinking of the future of Irish food, young people have concerns and want to see support for farms and climate action.
- Challenges: ‘Expensive’ was the word used by most young people (7%) when prompted to describe the Irish food system. When asked about the key challenges facing the Irish food system, young people highlighted the cost of living (19%), climate change (17%), biodiversity loss (15%), and the cost of food (13%) as their top concerns;
- Support needed: The most popular demands from young people when it comes to an improved food system include better support for farmers (28%); improved affordability of food (25%); improved education about food systems (23%); increased support and availability of local produce (13%); and reduction in food imports (12%);
Agri-food careers are being questioned: One in five (28%) expressed interest in a career in agri-food. Some factors listed for not being interested in a career in the agri-food sector included perceived low wages and poor job security (15%); lack of knowledge; or misunderstanding about career opportunities (11%).

Recommendations by young people

The report identifies solutions and recommendations to address many of the issues and concerns uncovered, with clear tangible actions and opportunities for educators, policymakers and NGOs like Airfield.

An overview of the recommendations includes notes on reconnecting to food, improving education and empowering activists.

Students recommended leveraging the school meals programme as a tool to support farmers, decrease carbon footprint and educate students on Irish food.

Another recommendation included a proposal to run a National Youth Food Summit annually to expose young people to a wide variety of careers.

Speaking about the launch of the report, Airfield Estate youth activism officer, Caitlin Breen said: “We felt the best way to kick off the work of the Youth Board was to find out what young people really think and feel about our food system.

“The research gives us a solid platform to decide where our impact is most needed. Young people are the future of our food system and if they aren’t engaged in the challenges we face, we need to act now and sow the seeds of resilience in our future leaders.

“Ireland is not alone in facing food system challenges. Similar issues around youth engagement in agriculture, rural depopulation, and the sustainability of food systems are seen globally.

Caitlin Breen, Airfield Estate youth activism officer

“We hope this report not only offers us and Airfield guidance in our work, but also points to gaps in education and policy that wider society can recognise and address,” she added.

Speaking on the launch of ‘Food Systems Through the Eyes of Young People’ CEO, Airfield Estate, Claire Mac Evilly reinforced the need to listen to the recommendations of young generations in building sustainable food systems: “Ireland is a country recognised globally for producing high-quality food, but our food system faces many challenges.

“Airfield Estate’s 38ac grounds showcase the cycle of food from farm to fork, connecting soil to society. It highlights the impact our food choices have and promotes an understanding of agriculture, horticulture and the link between farming and food production.

“We are passionate about inspiring change and driving a sustainable food revolution. Part of that journey has been to launch our Youth Board, which we did last year.

“We are so proud of this piece of work they have spearheaded as it offers clear learnings and recommendations on how the food system can be strengthened from an individual, educator and policymaker perspective.”

Airfield Estate, an urban farm and gardens in Dundrum, Dublin 14, is on a mission to make Dublin a world-leading sustainable food city and to inspire and enable informed food choices.

Report findings regarding the food system

Recommendations by young people

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