PLAYING the "green" card could grow Irish agriculture from a €20bn to a €30bn industry within just a few years, says the Forum on Climate Change.
Launched yesterday by Teagasc and the IBEC group Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the forum has put promoting Ireland’s eco-friendly reputation centre stage. The marketing gains could b
e significant, with Irish agriculture already accounting for €7bn in exports each year.
Dr Rogier Schulte of Teagasc said: "Based on the low carbon footprint of our Irish dairy and meat products, it is possible to turn the threat of reducing greenhouse gas emissions into opportunities for Irish farmers. But we need coherent and urgent action from all players in the debate including Teagasc, government departments and agencies, farm organisations, food processors and retailers."
Some international studies show that food produced from Irish temperate grassland systems has a much lower carbon footprint than many other countries. However, as carbon footprint methodologies vary, Ireland sometimes has also fallen down the rankings in other studies.
The new joint forum will seek to ensure that the "farm-to-fork" supply chain is the global evaluation methodology of choice. It will promote Irish food production externally and also promote climate change within Irish agriculture.
FDII’s Michael Barry said: "The creation of the joint action forum on climate change is essential both to protecting Ireland’s reputation as a sustainable food producer and to ensuring that climate change policies do not undermine Ireland’s global competitiveness."
The International Climate Change conference takes place in the Mansion House, Dublin, on Thursday and Friday.