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* Sargent visits Ethiopia

Published 24 November, 2008 Community , International , Organics Closed
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24 November 2008

This week, Minister Sargent will be in Ethiopia to see, at first hand, how Irish funded support for agriculture and emergency relief efforts has helped to improve the lives of people living there. As part of a comprehensive programme Minister Sargent will visit a variety of development activities supported by Irish Aid, Irish NGOs, Irish business people and UN agencies.

During his stay Minister Sargent will visit a land rehabilitation project funded by Irish Aid that is part of a comprehensive programme to support food security for rural households. He will also meet with Mr Mikutui Kassa, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development with responsibility for Early Warning and Food Security.  The recent report of the Hunger Task Force has emphasised the importance of improving smallholder productivity in Africa in order to improve overall food security.  The economy of Ethiopia is primarily based on agriculture, with estimates suggesting it accounts for approximately half of gross domestic product (GDP), 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment.  Production is overwhelmingly of a subsistence nature.

Minister Sargent will also meet with Dr Teowolde Birhan Gebre Egziabhur, Head of the Ethiopian Environment Protection Authority to discuss the contribution organic agriculture can make to food security in Africa, which was recently highlighted by the recent UNEP-UNCTAD report “Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa”.

Minister Sargent will meet with a range of Irish NGOs and Irish business people interested in supporting development in Ethiopia, including Connect Ethiopia, Goal, Self Help, Camara Education, Christian Aid, Concern and Trocaire.  His programme includes visits to see projects supported by these organisations including visits to local farmers to observe innovative farming techniques, environmental rehabilitation programmes and Information Technology training.

Minister Sargent will also visit emergency relief activities organised by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which receives funding from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Irish Aid.  WFP is one of Ireland’s leading humanitarian relief partners, providing food aid to hungry people in times of crises, and received €25.5m in funding for food aid from Irish Aid and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 2007.

This is Minister Sargent’s first visit to a developing country and to Africa. Minister Sargent stated that ‘Ethiopia has special memories for the Irish. We will never forget the tremendous work that Bob Geldof did for Ethiopia in 1985 through Live Aid, Band Aid and again in 2005′.

NOTE FOR EDITORS

Minister Sargent’s visit takes place from 24th to 29th November.

The World Food Programme (WFP) was established in 1962 and is the food aid organisation of the United Nations. It is an aid programme, which operates on the basis of voluntary contributions by donor countries pledged at irregular intervals. The WFP provides food aid primarily to low-income, food deficit countries, to assist in the implementation of economic and social development projects and to meet the relief needs of victims of natural and other disasters. In 2007, WFP fed 86.1 million people including 58.8 million children in 80 countries. Sudan was the largest single country operation in 2007. Currently some of WFP’s major operations include: Eastern Africa (Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia) Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) and elsewhere.

The Department of Agriculture and Food Provides core funding to WFP and Irish Aid responds to requests for emergency funding and supports other activities including the Rapid Response Initiative.  The table below shows the increases in Ireland’s contributions to WFP since 2002:

Annual contributions to WFP for all activities in Euro (2000 – 2008)

WFP Funding 2002 € 2003€ 2004 2005 2006

 2007 2008

To date
DAFF 4,519,745 4,520,072 6,096,985 7,277,242 8,590,508 10,739,523 9,960,000
Irish Aid 4,370,532 3,400,000 4,400,000 6,500,000 16,800,000 14,950,000 11,250,000
Total 8,890,277 7,920,072 10,496,985 13,777,242 25,390,508 25,689,523 21,210,000

Ireland was the fourth highest per capita contributor to WFP in 2007.

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- Trevor Sargent with Vandana Shiva

Published 20 June, 2008 International Closed

Trevor Sargent with Vandana Shiva, originally uploaded by The Green Party.

On a recent visit to Italy to attend an IFOAN (International Federation of Organic Movements) conference, Minister Sargent met with Vandana Shiva. Vandana Shiva is a highly respected and well known activist and writer on environmental issues.

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- Sargent announces €10 million for World Food Programme

Published 6 May, 2008 International Closed
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6 May 2008

Mr Trevor Sargent TD, Minister for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, today announced €9.96 million in funding is to be provided by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).“This money will be used by WFP to provide food to the hungry poor in Africa and elsewhere,”Minister Sargent said.

World food prices have risen by 45% in the last nine months. Food importing countries have seen their financial costs rise by 56% as there are serious global shortages of rice, wheat and maize. The increase in food prices is hitting the hungry the hardest. 162 million people are living on less than $0.50 a day and are least able to cope. More than half the world’s population lives in low-income, food-deficit countries that are unable to produce or import enough food to feed their people.The World Food Programme, which is the UN agency responsible for the provision of food aid, are fighting hunger across the globe, an ongoing battle which has been made harder by the recent increases in food prices across the world. “We are aware of the current situation regarding rising food prices which are affecting millions of people – hitting hardest those living in poverty,” declared Minister Sargent “It is because of this that we will provide Ireland’s core contribution to the WFP in cash. Cash is the most flexible resource and it gives WFP complete discretion to direct food aid where it is most needed.”

The funding will be used to bring food aid as a response to natural and man-made emergencies, to help bring people from crisis to recovery and in support of logistics to speed up the delivery of aid.In addition to the core funding provided by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, responds to requests for funding for specific WFP emergency appeals. This combined approach makes Ireland’s contributions to WFP especially useful to the organisation. All Irish funding to WFP is in the form of untied cash grants.

Minister Sargent emphasised the fact that in the last seven years, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has more than doubled its contributions to WFP:“In 2000, we contributed just under €3.2 million. This year our contribution so far has reached almost €10 million.”

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- Minister Sargent welcomes organic research findings

Published 31 October, 2007 International , Organics Closed

31 October 2007

 

Following National Organic Week (22-28 October 2007), Trevor Sargent TD, Minister of State for Food and Horticulture, has welcomed the findings of research which show that, in general, organic foods contain high levels of beneficial compounds, such as vitamins and anti-oxidants.Minister Sargent said “Findings by researchers on the EU Quality Low Input Food project at Nafferton Farm in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, show that organic produce contain relatively high levels of beneficial compounds.

“I welcome these findings and I look forward to hearing more from this project. Ireland’s production must keep up with growing consumer demand if Irish farmers are to reap the benefits of organic conversion and if Irish consumers are to have access to affordable organic foods. Therefore, I am urging Irish farmers to examine the commercial opportunities that exist with organic conversion.

“Recently, I visited Austria, which has demonstrated that affordable, high quality, locally-grown organic food is an attainable goal, even in competitive markets.”

 

 

“I want to reiterate my own personal commitment and that of this Government, to developing the organic sector in Ireland. We are making progress in the right direction.“The number of Teagasc Organic Advisors have increased from one to four. I have launched the new Organic Farming Scheme to encourage producers to respond to the market demand for organically produced food, increasing payment rates by approximately 17% compared to comparative rates under REPS 3.
“As well as payments to farmers, we in the Department also offer significant development grants both to farmers and to processors under the Schemes of Grant Aid for the Development of the Organic Sector.

“The continued growth of community gardens and other horticultural enterprises can only help to lessen the amount of imported organic produce required and it is clear that there is a ready made market here for local, seasonal food.

“Consumers are getting the message that organic is good for you: it is time for farmers to respond to that demand.”

 

 

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- Minister Sargent announces major funding for the UN International Year of the Potato 2008

Published 18 October, 2007 Food news , International Closed
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18 October 2007

Mr. Trevor Sargent T.D., Minister for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food today announced that, “Ireland will provide significant funding, starting with an initial payment of $150,000, to support the activities of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which is the lead United Nations’ agency for implementation of the International Year of the Potato.”

Minister Sargent added, “Funding provided by Ireland will go to support FAO activities. Activities will include information generation and dissemination through conferences and symposia to review research policies and chart the future direction of the sector. This will include a major conference run by the International Potato Centre in Peru in March 2008 focusing on the application of potato science for the poor. It is hoped to encourage action throughout the developing world to focus on potato systems including crop yields, extension training on improved varieties and production systems.”

Minister Sargent noted the central role the potato has played in Irish History. The failure of the crop due to potato blight in 1845 led to a famine that left 1.5 million dead and a further 1 million citizens forced to emigrate. “Irish people have a deep memory of the effects of famine on our nation” declared Minister Sargent. “Our history means we are acutely aware of the need to focus on the potato and the vital role that agriculture can play in improving nutrition and supporting food security”.

Calling for a renewed emphasis on the potato, and on practical activities to increase its contribution to world food security, Minister Sargent noted that Irish Aid had already provided €520,000 to the International Potato Centre (CIP) in Peru. This funding will be used to support core research activities and to support a potato research programme run by CIP in Malawi. Further funding will be provided in subsequent years.

To mark the IYP at home, Ireland will also organise a national programme of events for 2008 with an emphasis on nutrition. This will include activities for schools including a primary school competition that aims to promote both the awareness and the growing of the potato. Schools will be provided with a growing kit and will be encouraged to monitor the growing of the potato over the period of the school term. In addition there will be a website devoted to the potato and throughout the year agricultural show and heritage centres will feature the potato.
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Note for Editors  

 

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations is one of the largest specialised agencies of the UN and the main agency for agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development. FAO currently has over 180 member countries and one member Organisation, the European Community. It works towards the alleviation of hunger and poverty through promoting agricultural development, food security and raising nutritional standards.
CIP is the International Centre for the Potato (Centro International de la Papa). It is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) which is an informal association of research centres, which provide research to sustainable agriculture for food security in developing countries.
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- Minister Sargent welcomes World Food Day

Published 16 October, 2007 Food news , International Closed
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16 October 2007

Mr. Trevor Sargent T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food today welcomed World Food Day, which is observed on October 16th, the anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Minister Sargent said that: “The aim of World Food Day is to raise awareness about hunger and poverty in the developing world. A specific theme is dedicated to World Food Day and this year’s theme is ‘the Right to Food’.”

 

With the sponsorship of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Gorta (the Freedom From Hunger Council of Ireland) is hosting Ireland’s annual World Food Day Conference. Minister Sargent stated that “The choice of ‘the Right to Food’ as the theme for 2007 World Food Day demonstrates increasing recognition by the international community of the important role of human rights in eradicating hunger and poverty. The right to Food will also be impossible to guarantee unless we stabilise climate chaos.” The “Right to Food” concept also presents a significant challenge to Governments worldwide to ensure communities are self reliant in food production especially with world human population growing by 85 million per annum and the impending reality of peak of oil production worldwide.

 

During the Irish EU presidency in 2004, extensive work was undertaken on the negotiation of the Voluntary Guidelines for the Right to Food and they were adopted in the second half of 2004. These guidelines provide the agreed principles and the practical guidance needed for concrete steps to be taken by States for the realisation of the right to food. World Food Day highlights that food and water security is at the heart of global security and is the most basic human right.He added that: “the right to food is a universal right. It means that every person – woman, man and child must have access at all times to food, or to means of the procurement of food, that is sufficient in quality, quantity, and variety to meet their needs, is free from harmful substances and is acceptable to their culture.”
By recognizing ‘the Right to Food’, governments must respect, protect and fulfil this right. In order to achieve the World Food Summit objective and Millennium Development Goal number one of reducing hunger by half by 2015, urgent efforts are needed to give a voice to the hungry and to strengthen governments’ capacity to meet their obligations.Minister Sargent stressed that ‘the right to food must be realised for all’.

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Note for Editors:

World Food Day is a global initiative lead by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. It was started in 1980 and is held in more than 150 countries around the world around October 16th. (This is the date on which FAO was established in 1945). The aim of World Food Day is to raise awareness about hunger and poverty in the developing world. Every year a different theme is selected for World Food Day. This year’s theme is ‘the Right to Food’.The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations was founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the conditions of rural populations. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security. FAO is one of the largest specialised agencies in the United Nations system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development.

 
 

 

 

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- Minister examines the organic sector in Austria

Published 12 October, 2007 International , Organics Closed

12 October 2007

 

Mr. Trevor Sargent T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Food and Horticulture at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is visiting a number of organic farms in Austria this weekend. The purpose of the visit is to gather information on how organic production in the country has developed to its current high level, i.e. 11% of total land area.

 

“Given that only 0.8% of Irish agricultural land is certified as organic, we have some serious catching up to do” said Minister Sargent

 

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to increase the land area under organic production in Ireland to a minimum of 5% by 2012.

 

“Ireland’s level of production is low by EU standards, but I am confident that by learning from the experiences of countries like Austria and using this valuable information in the development of the organic sector in Ireland, we can put together the requires strategy and resources to ensure we reach our 5% target” Minister Sargent said.

- Extra €2 million to World Food Programme for Chad

Published 9 September, 2007 Food news , International Closed
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9 September 2007 

Mr Trevor Sargent T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, today announced a donation of €2 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). He said, “The funding will be used to provide air transport for food to refugees in remote regions of Chad and in support of the overall humanitarian efforts in the region. This funding is in addition to the core funding of €8.5 million provided by the Department of Agriculture and Food in May 2007 and brings total funding from the Department to €10.5 million this year.”

The Department of Agriculture and Food and Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs work together to support the vital work of WFP. Irish Aid responds to specific WFP emergency appeals and, to date, have provided some €8.8m during 2007. All Irish funding to WFP is in the form of untied cash grants.

Minister Sargent added, “the provision of the €2m is a direct response to the WFP’s appeal for new donations to mount a major food assistance and logistics project aimed at feeding more than 230,000 refugees and 150,000 internally displaced persons in eastern Chad.”

He went on to say “WFP supplies monthly food rations to Sudanese refugees who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Darfur as well as native Chadians internally displaced by the troubles. The UN Agency has also implemented programmes to help local host populations, under pressure from the influx of refugees and internally displaced persons, meet their food needs. This will involve the buying and shipping of 79,000 tonnes of food to eastern Chad by air and also using fleets of trucks travelling overland. Security and the current rainy season combine to confront humanitarian agencies in Chad with a particular challenging environment at the moment. Access is vital if relief organisations such as the WFP are to help those in need in a timely manner.”

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