Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to set out the position regarding the discussions on climate smart agriculture discussions at the UN climate change conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37650/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The concept of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) was defined and presented in November 2010 by the Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations (FAO) to the Hague Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change. Since then the Netherlands Government has led an initiative to move the concept of Climate Smart Agriculture into an global alliance that would include governments, farmers’ organizations, scientists, businesses, civil society and NGOs. The initiative has been in particular supported by the FAO, the World Bank, as well as by the USDA and the Vietnamese and South African Governments. The three pillars of Climate Smart Agriculture are:

- sustainably increasing agricultural productivity and incomes;

- adapting and building resilience to climate change; and

- reducing and/or removing greenhouse gases emissions, where possible.

The Alliance on Climate Smart Agriculture was launched at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York on the 24th September 2014 and Ireland is one of the first signatories to the Joint Action Statement for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. Ireland has also signalled an intention to formally join the Alliance subject to a satisfactory governance structure being put in place. The interim secretariat indicated that this would be developed during the “inception year” commencing from 24^thSeptember 2014.

The alliance aims to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals and it integrates the three dimensions of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) by jointly addressing food security and climate challenges. The alliance has the potential to provide a useful opportunity to showcase Irish agricultural policy, expertise and agribusiness, as well as Irish Aid’s work in developing countries.  Membership of the alliance could also afford improved opportunities for Ireland to both promote and to learn from best practices elsewhere.

The interim secretariat has advised that the first working meeting of the alliance will be held at FAO in Rome on 17-18 December 2014, and will focus on the following items:

1. Governance of the Global Alliance for CSA (structure and composition);

2. Programme of Work of the Global Alliance of CSA/Key deliverables (Inception year);

3. Action Groups, Update and Plan of Action; and

4. Facilitation Unit; Terms Of Reference; Finance.