Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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856. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of public and private farm advisers providing advice in relation to organic farming; the number who are being upskilled in organic farming as a result of action 362 of the climate action plan; the cost of action 362 of the climate action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15916/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is well aware that advisory support is key to ensure farmers have the confidence and the appropriate knowledge to convert to organic farming. This is why we are investing in more advisory capacity.

I understand at present that the Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) have 10 members providing organic advisory services. My Department is currently providing funding to the Association to provide two levels of training; an introductory level course on Organics, which will provide training to approximately 95 ACA members and an additional QQI level 5 certification for approximately 65 ACA members.

This investment will provide on-farm as well as classroom training for advisors, demonstration walks for farmers and an unprecedented level of expertise and advice at local level for interested farmers.

Currently in Teagasc, there are two organic specialists, with a third specialist being currently recruited with a focus on the tillage sector. Teagasc have also committed to recruiting a fourth specialist who will have a focus on horticulture. Overall at present in addition to the Organic specialists, Teagasc have 17 organic contact advisors, based in all management units nationwide.

The new Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme will involve the upskilling of Farm Advisory Service (FAS) approved Agricultural Advisors in some of the key priority areas for the sector (biodiversity, ecology, climate change, water and soil, health and safety etc). There are currently circa 800 FAS approved advisors. It is envisaged that the CPD programme will be delivered in 2022 via an online DAFM e-learning platform. The provision of the online e-learning platform and content in each of the key priority areas was secured via competitive tender processes in 2021. The CPD Programme is expected to be launched in mid-2022, with the first training module on climate change adaptation and mitigation. The full cost of the CPD programme is €245,000.