Mr. Michael O'Brien:

In the context of the multidimensional social, economic and environmental challenges faced by small-scale farmers in Uganda and across Trócaire programme countries and the potential of agroecological approaches to significantly respond to these challenges, realising this potential requires supportive public policies and investments. Trócaire’s report, "Food Democracy: Feeding the World Sustainably", outlines factors that currently impede the widespread adoption of agroecological approaches, while also noting initiatives that could enable the scaling up of agroecological systems. Support for agroecology is highly compatible with progressing the transformative and sustainable ambition of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the sustainable development goals. Sustainable development goal 2.4 specifically seeks to "ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other [natural] disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality".

There is growing importance in policy discourses from the Food and Agriculture Organization attached to Ireland's new international development policy, A Better World, and to the role agroecology can play in effectively responding to diverse social, economic and environmental challenges, including delivering on the right to adequate food for all, promoting biodiversity, resilience to climate and fiscal shocks and greater social equity. Just as Ireland took a lead role in ensuring agreement of the sustainable development goals, Trócaire believes Ireland is well placed to take similar leadership on sustainable agricultural systems, particularly agroecologically based agricultural and food systems, and welcomes this opportunity to invite the committee to consider the following six recommendations.

The first is to engage the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for the diaspora and international development on the relevance of agroecology in tackling the multiple challenges outlined in sustainable development goal 2.4 and its wider potential to contribute to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

The second is to inquire from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade how Ireland is advancing the European Union consensus on development commitment to supporting agroecological practices and actions to reduce post-harvest losses and food waste, as well as to protect soils, conserve water resources, halt, prevent and reverse deforestation and maintain biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

The third recommendation is to inquire of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which leads Ireland’s relationship with the UN Rome-based food agencies, how Ireland is actively supporting the Food and Agriculture Organization-led scaling up of the agroecology initiative.

The fourth is to ask the same Department how Ireland is contributing to an effective policy convergence process and timely conclusion to the Committee on World Food Security high-level panel of experts report on agroecological approaches and other innovations for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition.

The fifth is to promote the integration of agroecology into research and development strategies with particular reference to the roll-out of the food intervention priority in Ireland’s new international development policy, A Better World.

The sixth is to encourage budget support for agroecological innovations, research and practices in Uganda and other priority partner countries.

We thank members for their attention and welcome their questions.