A “very attractive” incentivisation plan encouraging farmers to diversify into organic farming, anaerobic digestion (AD) and forestry will be negotiated with farm organisations next year, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
The government won’t be culling any cows, and all measures including options to diversify farmers’ incomes are voluntary, he said following the publication of the Climate Action Plan 2023 today (Wednesday, December 21).
The updated plan aims to increase tillage farming to up to 400,000ha by 2030, and sets a target to increase organic farming to an area of 450,000ha among other measures.
Land use diversification options for farmers seek to incentivise a voluntary reduction of livestock numbers to achieve the 25% emissions reduction target set for agriculture.
While the Taoiseach said he believes Irish farmers are up for the challenge provided they are give a clear direction, good advice and adequate financial incentives, he didn’t specify what additional funding the sector will receive.
The Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan said there is a real need for incentivisation schemes to encourage farmers to switch, however he does not consider this a cull.
Highlighting a potential transition from dairy to tillage and the diversification of land use towards energy sources to achieve emissions reduction targets, Minister Ryan said:
“This [Climate Action Plan 2023] will only work if it is good for the Irish family farm. This will only work if we create new income sources particularly for young people to get into forestry and agriculture.
“And this is what the plan commits to do. It has to lead to a better income and that’s what’s happening. That’s the better Ireland for family farms that is promised and can be delivered through this plan.”
Farm diversification
The Taoiseach said that while the plan aims to diversify the use of land, if a farmer moves from one system to another form of agriculture or to energy, it wouldn’t prevent other farms from expanding.
Meeting the economy-wide 51% emissions reduction target by 2030 will be challenging, however the Taoiseach said there will be no coercion nor compulsion rather farmers will be asked to help.
“We need a lot more timber to build urgently needed homes around the country, we need more solar and wind energy to provide secure supply of affordable, domestically produced electricity.
“We need biogas for heating and to reduce our dependence on imported natural gas and we want more of organic farming and tillage.
“Farmers will play their part by embracing these new opportunities and we will make it worthwhile,” the Taoiseach said.