HIF coordinator, Stiofán Nutty explains how Ireland’s climate change plans may actually benefit the horticulture sector
Usually, when the weather is mentioned in horticulture columns it’s not good news. Over the past couple of years, we’ve experienced the fallout from Storm Ophelia, Storm Emma, the 2018 summer drought and this year’s cold and wet June. For food and amenity horticulture alike, such weather turns the challenges of growing into a nightmare and these nightmares are occurring more frequently. Climate Change is now impacting on horticulture, but perhaps Climate Change may be about to change the fortunes of our sector?
Arising out of the work of the Citizen’s Assembly, the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action was formed and its Report ‘Climate Change: A Cross-Party Consensus for Action’ was published on April 16th last. Agriculture forms a major part of the report and the Committee proposes several recommendations around horticulture as an agriculture diversification measure. If these recommendations were to be acted upon, they would provide real opportunities for the sector to develop as well as contributing to a sustainable efficient food production system in Ireland. Section 8.7.1 states; “There is a very wide range of vegetable and fruit crops that can be grown in Ireland, the production of which could be introduced or increased at commercial scale. Furthermore, there is a growing global trend, supported by the advice in recent scientific studies, towards a more plant-based diet. The trend towards more plant-based diets represents a commercial opportunity which Irish horticulture should avail of in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon food system. Major opportunities exist through import substitution in horticulture that would improve national food security, increase sustainable rural employment, promote a healthier diet nationally and fight obesity as well as reducing GHG emissions. Horticulture (€433m 2017) is the 4th largest sector in terms of gross agriculture commodity output value with only the dairy, cattle and pigs’ sectors being larger. Despite its relative scale, horticulture has very few Teagasc advisers and more advisory supports are required to encourage greater food crop production.”
Although horticulture has not been expressly cited in the government’s recently published Climate Action Plan, the plan recognises the need for agriculture diversification; “We are committed to promoting diversification of activity at farm level and in the wider rural economy towards low-carbon opportunities. We need to restructure agriculture to ensure sustainable land uses that will yield secure family farm income in the longer term.” Horticulture can provide a sustainable commercial low-carbon option for agriculture diversification.
To support the horticulture industry to exploit these potential new opportunities the Horticulture Industry Forum (HIF) has begun to compile information under the following headings;
● The environmental sustainability credentials of horticulture including emission reductions through CO2 recycling, reducing fossil fuel usage through renewable energy and establishing the contribution of renewable energy to the overall energy input to produce a kg of produce
● Climate change, emissions & adaption; how can we reduce the impact of drier climate and the increased need to irrigate, balanced with the need for water conservation
● Potential for import substitution and increasing consumption and looking at environmental sustainability credentials of locally produced over imports
● Potential for diversification in various horticulture sectors
● Compile a list of environmental measures that have already been completed by the industry
Having assembled this information, HIF will make it available to government, relevant state agencies. and others who can assist in developing the industry’s capacity to play its full role in the fight against Climate Change. Climate Change also challenges Ireland’s food supply chain and underlines the need to develop and sustain the country’s indigenous producers of fresh produce. Amenity producers have also a strong role to play in broadening the use of plants and enhancing biodiversity. The country needs to foster a vibrant more prosperous horticulture industry in Ireland, and we must all work together to achieve this. ✽
 STIOFÁN NUTTY has been involved in commercial horticulture for over 30 years. In that time he has built an expansive experience and knowledge base across the horticultural spectrum. He has owned and operated a nursery business, an award-winning garden centre, worked extensively in education and TV and was appointed as special advisor to the Minister for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent. In 2010 he was appointed as special advisor to the Minister for Sustainable Transport, Horticulture, Planning, and Heritage Ciaran Cue. Over the past six years Stiofán has facilitated and moderated fifteen European and global conferences in Ireland, Brussels, and the UK, he was appointed as the coordinator of the Horticulture Industry Forum in 2015. |
