Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Through the Irish Aid programme, my Department has already provided at least €20 million in humanitarian aid to those individuals immediately affected by the crisis resulting from the invasion of Ukraine.

In addition to responding to the needs of those directly affected by the conflict, I am concerned about its wider impact, including on food security. Ukraine and Russia are leading exporters of cereals, with Russia also a significant fertilizer exporter; Ukraine grain exports in February were much reduced. The global food price index reached an all-time high last month.

The most immediate impacts are being felt in the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus. In some cases anticipated shortages coincide with existing political challenges, and may increase internal tensions. While sub-Saharan African countries are less dependent on imports from Ukraine and Russia, pre-existing food insecurity will be magnified in part because of limited abilities to address increases in food prices, with climate change and the pandemic also impacting on both food production and fiscal space. The outcome of 2022 harvests will be critical to food availability in the second half of the year and food prices into next year.

Our missions in the Middle East, North and sub-Saharan Africa are closely monitoring the food security situation, and the associated risk of political instability.

I am particularly conscious that the World Food Programme is reliant on grain stocks from Ukraine. It is concerned about its ability to respond to food needs globally, at a time when 44 million people are acutely food insecure. Irish Aid, through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has a €75 million three year strategic partnership with the WFP.

In addition, we continue to work with Irish NGOs, the UN, and the International Food Policy Research Institute to address food security, building on Ireland’s work on food systems and using Ireland’s board membership of the International Fund for Agricultural Development to ensure that long term solutions are put in place. In the short term, and in addition to humanitarian funding, the Irish Aid programme is supporting social protection programmes in certain partner countries to help vulnerable food consumers deal with price spikes. Embassies, particularly in east Africa, are working to encourage regional trade and the diversification of food supplies.

Longer-term Irish Aid investment in low-input and conservation agriculture methods is paying dividends, reducing dependency on fertiliser while maintaining yields and building resilience to climate extremes.