THE DEVELOPMENT of industry-wide carbon-footprinting tools is urged in a new study on Irish agriculture in the next decade.
Just ahead of the world climate summit in Copenhagen, the study argues that Ireland can become a leader in sustainable agriculture and food production, and that climate change can bring new opportunities for Irish farmers and food exporters.
The study, entitled From Farm to Fork, was published yesterday by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin. It brought together experts across the agri-food sector to prepare a plan to cut the carbon footprint of Irish agriculture in the next decade and address the huge challenges this will present, as well as looking at climate change and resource depletion.
“The agriculture sector, responsible for 40 per cent of ‘domestic sector’ emissions, must contribute to the national target of a minimum 20 per cent cut [in carbon emissions] by 2020, while simultaneously responding to a predicted increase in worldwide demand for food,” said the report.
Launched yesterday by Tom Moran, secretary general of the Department of Agriculture and Food, the report said these issues, if addressed proactively, could enhance both the competitiveness and the sustainability of the sector in the period to 2020.
The programme covers all links in the food chain from farm to consumer and is based on the assumption that action in any one sector on its own will not be enough to meet the challenge the industry faces .
On farm, the programme recommended measures to displace fossil fuel-based fertilisers:
earlier finishing times for beef cattle to reduce livestock methane emissions;
earlier slurry application timing to reduce methane emissions from stored manure;
increasing levels of forestry to sequester emissions.
At food processing level, it recommended the development of industry-wide carbon-footprinting tools:
a range of measures to increase on-site energy efficiency;
co-operation with retailers to reduce waste and packaging; and
measures to increase water-use efficiency.
The recommendations for the retail sector included measures to increase in-store energy efficiency:
introduction of “sustainable sourcing” initiatives;
co-operating with producers to reduce packaging;
carbon labelling for products.
The chairman of the steering committee was Michael Dowling, a former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture who is now head of agri-strategy at AIB.
He said the potential benefits of taking a proactive approach might include building market position over the medium to long term and enhancing Ireland’s reputation.
IIEA senior researcher Joseph Curtin said those involved in the project recognised the scale of the challenge and its huge importance to the country, but also emphasised the opportunity.