Dr. Mary Ryan:

To add to that, it took ten years to get from 1% of utilisable agricultural area to the 2% that we are at now. That is 74,000 ha. This year, the new applicants for the scheme will constitute a 15% increase on what was there before. If one could manage a 15% increase year on year, one would get close to the 7.5% target. However, as some of the Deputies already mentioned, there are specific value chain and marketing issues. There are two separate elements involved in trying to get more organics, namely, encouraging more participation and sorting out those value chain issues while developing the market better. It is a chicken and egg situation with any of these schemes. One has to have to have participants to start off with but one gets to a stage where the value chain must be developed as well.

In terms of that innovation system approach I mentioned, we do this work in relation to the barriers to conversion to dairy organics. We have done this work in other projects on farming afforestation and water quality improvement measures. It involves sitting down with stakeholders right throughout the system from the farmer to the people who influence decisions, all the way along. It could be market, research, advice, rural development considerations, processors, people who are direct selling or people who have small businesses. It is a case of sitting down with everybody in the sector who influences part of that system to see where the linkages are where there are gaps in the system that need to be addressed. We find it very useful as a research tool. It practically-based as well.