Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Food Vision 2030, Ireland’s ten-year stakeholder led strategy for the agri-food sector, has the vision that Ireland will become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) over the next decade. By adopting an integrated food systems approach, the strategy takes a detailed, systematic approach to address each aspect of the environment: climate, ammonia, biodiversity, water, forests, seafood, the bio-economy, food loss and waste, and packaging across all sectors. The strategy promotes collective effort across a range of stakeholders.

On specific collective actions underway, the Environmental Protection Agency launched a revised Food Waste Charter on the 29th June this year, which expanded the Charter to all levels of the agri-food supply chain. This was a key action in the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap and many government bodies and agencies including Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Teagasc signed up to the Charter. Many of the leading retailers have also signed up to the Charter. I encourage primary producers to do so as well. It is clear therefore that there is immense buy-in and collaboration on the food waste issue.

In addition, the National Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025 provides for a coordinated and coherent approach for management of biobased resources that is aimed at reducing emissions and designing out negative environmental features all along the supply chain, from primary production to unnecessary waste. It also provides a framework for developing innovative opportunities to valorise unavoidable waste to produce biobased products that can reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels, support sustainable food systems approaches, and aid the development of a circular economy.

The bioeconomy action plan could support the implementation of the food waste charter through the Plan's industry and enterprise pillar and thereby aid the alignment of innovation funding, demand side supports and a coordinated approach to enterprise investment to support improved resource efficiency and zero-waste processing of food and biobased resources.

In addition, Origin Green, Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme run by Bord Bia, enables the food industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively. Addressing the food waste challenge is a key priority for Origin Green manufacturing members under their waste targets.

In regard to supports, my Department through funding the Prepared Consumer Foods Centre supports food businesses to pilot equipment to reduce waste and packaging and also supports the redistribution of food that would otherwise be wasted.

As part of the inter-departmental working group on the implementation of the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap on which my Department is represented progress on these collaborative efforts will be monitored.