Agri-food sector study group meets

THE inaugural meeting of a steering group set up by Teagasc to carry out a new foresight study of the agri-food industry was held yesterday in Oak Park, Carlow.

Professor Seamus Smyth, emeritus president NUI Maynooth, is chairman of the committee which comprises national and international representatives from government institutions, industry and universities.

He congratulated Teagasc on undertaking this major initiative which seeks to create a widespread consensus on how the agri-food sector can contribute to Ireland’s new knowledge economy.

Professor Smyth said he hopes that process will stimulate new thinking and new ideas and catalyse a process of change across the system. The committee will be assisted in its work by an expert working group, which will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the project.

Expert panels may also be established in selected areas.

Output from the process will include a new long-term Research Technological Development Innovation (RTDI) Strategic Plan for Teagasc. A major international conference is also planned for spring 2008.

Teagasc chairman Dr Tom O’Dwyer said the study is of major importance in terms of forcing people to think beyond the standard three to five-year timeframe and beyond 2020. “It gives us the opportunity to bring a wide diversity of people together from different disciplines and to explore new ideas,” he said.