Agri-food has vital role to play in revitalising economy, says minister

THE agri-food sector, the country’s leading indigenous industry, has a central role to play in the revitalisation of the economy, Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith said yesterday.

Speaking at the presentation of the FBD sponsored Teagasc Student of the Year awards in Dublin, he said the sector has always shown an exceptional resilience and adaptability in the face of challenge.

Despite the current economic difficulties, the prospects for agriculture and food are positive. Food production has many natural advantages, which will help to meet long-term global demand for high quality food produced in a sustainable manner.

“We must ensure that the sector is in a position to take advantage of the global recovery when this emerges, as it inevitably will. Competitiveness will be important as never before.

“Irish farmers will need to be at least as skilled and efficient as their international counterparts. There will be a greater need than ever for a highly educated and highly skilled agricultural work force,” he said.

Minister Smith said Teagasc’s training courses provide Irish farmers with the skills necessary to meet the challenges ahead and to produce high quality safe food, which is necessary to satisfy the demands of the increasingly discerning consumer.

He said the nine finalists in the Student of the Year awards, were chosen from almost 800, who completed further level training programmes with Teagasc in 2008.

Declan Donnelly, Lissycasey, Co Clare, who was chosen as the Teagasc Student of the Year, works with his father on the home farm producing pedigree Hereford, Charolais and Aberdeen Angus cattle.

He completed the advanced certificate in agriculture at Teagasc’s Ennis centre. The first runner-up award went to Killian O’Donovan, Ballymacwilliam, Clonakilty, representing Clonakilty Teagasc College, with Dermot Foley from the Roscommon side of Carrick-on-Shannon, representing Teagasc Sligo centre, taking the second runner-up prize.

Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said it is committed to a radical overhaul of its education system, with the establishment of two national agricultural colleges, supported by 11 regional education centres.