@MARK ATKINS / 123RF.COM
06 / NURSERY
A TURN IN THE WEATHER FOR
HORTICULTURE?
U
sually, when the weather is mentioned in horticulture columns it’s not good news. Over the past couple of years, we’ve experienced the fallout from Storm Ophelia, Storm Emma, the 2018 summer drought and this year’s cold and wet June. For food and amenity horticulture alike, such weather turns the challenges of growing into a nightmare and these nightmares are occurring more frequently. Climate Change is now impacting on horticulture, but perhaps Climate Change may be about to change the fortunes of our sector? Arising out of the work of the Citizen’s Assembly, the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action was formed and its Report ‘Climate Change: A Cross-Party Consensus for Action’ was published on April 16th last. Agriculture forms a major part of the report and the Committee proposes several recommendations around horticulture as an agriculture diversification measure. If these recommendations were to be acted upon, they would provide real opportunities for the sector to develop as well as contributing to a sustainable efficient food production system in Ireland. Section 8.7.1 states; “There is a very wide range of vegetable and fruit crops that can be grown in Ireland, the production of which could be introduced or increased at commercial scale. Furthermore, there is a growing global trend, supported by the advice in recent scientific studies, towards a more plant-based diet. The trend towards more plant-based diets represents a commercial opportunity which Irish horticulture should avail of in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon food system. Major opportunities exist through import substitution in horticulture that would improve national food security, increase sustainable rural employment, promote a healthier diet nationally and fight obesity as well as reducing
HIF coordinator, Stiofán Nutty explains how Ireland’s climate change plans may actually benefit the horticulture sector
GHG emissions. Horticulture (€433m 2017) is the 4th largest sector in terms of gross agriculture commodity output value with only the dairy, cattle and pigs’ sectors being larger. Despite its relative scale, horticulture has very few Teagasc advisers and more advisory supports are required to encourage greater food crop production.” Although horticulture has not been expressly cited in the government’s recently published Climate Action Plan, the plan recognises the need for agriculture diversification; “We are committed to promoting diversification of activity at farm level and in the wider rural economy towards low-carbon opportunities. We need to restructure agriculture to ensure sustainable land uses that will yield secure family farm income in the longer term.” Horticulture can provide a sustainable commercial low-carbon option for agriculture diversification.
To support the horticulture industry to exploit these potential new opportunities the Horticulture Industry Forum (HIF) has begun to compile information under the following headings;
Summer 2019 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
17
