Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the issue of food security and supply in the EU is being factored into current development policy. [12571/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The issue of food security and supply in the EU is at the forefront of the current EU agriculture policy. A Commission communication setting out broad policy options for the future CAP "The CAP towards 2020" was presented on 18 November 2010. Following discussion on this communication at the Council of EU Agriculture Ministers, a majority of Member States lent their support at the March Council to a series of conclusions drafted by the Hungarian Presidency.

The Commission communication was the first formal step in the negotiating process for the CAP after 2013. The formal legislative proposals are due to be tabled by the Commission later this year. In that respect, the Presidency conclusions provide a strong signal to the Commission of the views of Member States in this process. I believe the Presidency's text was an inclusive presentation of Member States' positions and provides good guidance for the legislative work of the Commission.

The Commission communication advocates a strong future CAP based on two complementary pillars with three strategic aims of preserving food production potential in the EU, sustainable management of natural resources and maintaining viable rural areas. The Presidency held three policy debates on the Communication and the issue of viable food production, the first main objective for the future CAP, was discussed at the December Council.

The international community is committed to reducing by half the number of malnourished people in the world by 2015, but the latest estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations show that the number of hungry people currently stands at 925 million. United Nations projections suggest that the world population will rise from the current 6.8 billion to 9.2 billion by 2050, with an associated 70% increase in demand for food. At the same time, more than ever, food production is facing competition for land and water resources from a variety of sources including the impacts of climate change, which pose further risks to food output. Increasing global demand for food and the level of food insecurity in parts of the world mean that Ireland as a leading world food producer has a responsibility to ensure that it contributes to meeting this demand and affords our agri-food sector new opportunities for growth. But these opportunities will only be fully realised if our farms become as competitive as possible and this will require considerable adaptation and structural change. It is important that we should actively support our farmers throughout this process. This should take practical expression in pillar 2 measures to support on-farm investment and to improve and adapt farm structures.