FAMBB

SPONSORED FEATUREIreland, leading the world insustainable agriculture and foodBy Simon Coveney TDMinister for Agriculture, Food,the Marine and DefenceTo respond effectively to the scale of the challenge agriculture facesin the 21st century, the coming decades must see a relentless focuson technology and innovation, supported by more sophisticatedthinking at policy level, and greater cooperation and knowledge-sharingamong the world’s food producing regions; effectively, a global reeducationaround food production that puts sustainable growth at its core.Underwriting our capacity to deliver effectively on this will be our ability tounderstand, and measure, the journey we are on.Ireland is a small island with a long history of high-quality agricultureproduction. The evolving prowess of our globally focused food industry,supported by the Irish Government’s firm commitment to the sector, asexpressed through Food Harvest 2020, and bolstered by a talented newgeneration of highly educated graduates, is contributing to what I believe willbe a golden decade of opportunity for the Irish food and drink industry.A key element of the sustainability pillar of the Food Harvest strategy isOrigin Green – an innovative national sustainability programme – which isnow incorporating measurement processes into our food industry that willensure producers have the resources, the information and the frameworkto enhance sustainable practices. In over 60,000 Irish livestock farms, fromwhich the majority of our beef and dairy exports are sourced, comprehensiveaudits are telling us exactly how each farm is performing across a fullspectrum of sustainability measures and helping identify scope for furtherimprovement.With the abundance of natural resources Ireland possesses – and acommon vision driving Government, the private sector and academia – ourfood industry has the necessary commitment and expertise to deliver on itsambition to continue to be a leader in the drive to produce food and drinkproducts in a sustainable manner.In setting out such an ambitious goal, I believe Ireland is also making animportant contribution to the evolving global conversation around the futureof agriculture.Food Harvest 2020An initiative by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board