As the threat to food security posed by climate change and war hits the headlines, what can be done to help protect Irish consumers from the rising price of the weekly shop? The answer to preventing cost-of-living shocks for fresh foods could lie at home, helped by a change in policy.
Our food production is a bit out of kilter, 90% of Irish produce – dominated by beef and dairy – is exported. In a country where agricultural produce is worth €19bn, we import a shocking 83% of fruit and vegetables. We may not be able to grow bananas and oranges here but why should 56,000 tonnes of apples have to come halfway round the world to a country perfectly suited to growing them? How can the balance be restored so that wholesome, home-grown food reaches our plates?
Food producers like the 300 members of Talamh Beo (Living Soil) aim to provide the answer. Dedicated to agroecology – a holistic approach – and putting people and communities first, their mission is to bring locally grown produce to local people using earth-friendly farming methods.
At Skhana Farm, set in idyllic, rolling hills in North County Kilkenny, Fintan and Liefe White are doing just that. Their farm produce – pasture-finished organic lamb and beef and seasonal vegetables – is sold direct to local customers at the farm shop at Freshford, on Fridays and Saturdays.
“I am impressed with the support we have had from the shop and the feedback we have from our customers,” Fintan tells me. “Local people are the backbone of our customers and we have a responsibility to offer a quality product. The lamb sells itself, people come back!”
After studying agriculture, Fintan took over the family farm in 2022, introducing vegetables, planting trees for agroforestry and making soil health a priority. “Soil is the starting block of everything,” he says.
The advantage of local food is that it’s more resilient to global market shocks, and it’s fresh, with a short supply chain, cutting carbon footprints. It has a potential to increase local employment at a time when there is an ageing farm demographic and only 16% of small farms are economically viable.
But the playing field is far from level when it comes to competing with cheap foreign imports and centralised marketing where the big five supermarket chains control 90% of food retailing. Land availability is a major challenge, labour costs are high and financial support is mainly geared to export-oriented farms.
So, what would make a difference to the situation?
“One action that would have the greatest impact is investing in local food producers, farmers and growers supplying the domestic market,” says Janet Power. Janet and Jenny Watkins have been farming for 10 years at Gorse Farm in the foothills of Mount Leinster, near Bunclody. They grow organic leafy vegetables on three acres donated by a relative and supply Supervalu and local restaurants.
”We started a food forest,” says Janet who previously worked in the pharma industry. Within months the couple had planted a shelter belt, put up polytunnels and were supplying salads to Supervalu, proving that small producers can survive. They also now supply vegetable boxes for local customers.”What I value about small scale food production is that we are making enough to live the kind of life we want,” says Janet.
Talamh Beo’s research found a resilient, productive sector with enormous potential, but one constrained by the absence of targeted policy and financial supports. “By investing in local food producers and agroecology, we can strengthen food security, create livelihoods, revitalise communities and restore nature – all at the same time,” says Janet.
Later this year, Talamh Beo will launch a campaign for a Basic Income for Local Food Producers, designed to provide the foundations needed for these producers to grow. In November they will host ‘Farming for the Future: Ireland, Europe and Agroecology,’ at Maynooth University. Bringing together farmers, policymakers and organisations from Ireland and across Europe, the event will explore how agroecology can address the challenges facing our food and farming sector. President Connolly and Mary Robinson will take part.
The group is a member of Via Campesina, a burgeoning global movement for millions of small producers. They also welcome new members.
May they carry on growing!
