Agri-food sector key component of Ireland’s rural strategy

AGRICULTURE still represents the main option for economic activity in many rural areas and will continue to make an important contribution to the overall Irish economy.

But rural areas will face challenges and there will be a need to continually enhance infrastructure and service provision to provide employment opportunities.

Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan made these points clear yesterday during an address to the Oxford Farming Conference in England on the Irish Government’s approach to farmers and the wider rural community.