Agri-food and forestry conferences generate €1m boost for economy

AGRICULTURE and forestry-related global conferences being held in Ireland are giving a welcome boost to the economy.

More than 750 delegates from almost 70 countries are in Dublin for the five-day annual gathering of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, on the theme of Environment, Food and Global Health.

Next week scientists from 33 countries will be in Dublin for a seminar organised by the European Forest Institute.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith, who officially opened this week’s gathering at Dublin Castle, said it represents an estimated €1 million direct gain to the economy.

This is the first visit of the society to Ireland, and it is the biggest scientific meeting being held here in 2009, he said.

Mr Smith highlighted the key role of a sustainable food and agriculture policy in addressing the inter-related challenges of climate change, population growth and water scarcity.

“A dangerous combination of climate change, population growth, and water scarcity now threatens all our futures,” he said.

Mr Smith said coming up with effective policy measures to address these challenges will determine the quality of children’s lives.

Building on high standards of food safety, Ireland had developed a reputation as a first-class world supplier of quality dairy, meat, seafood and other foodstuffs to some 140 markets worldwide.

The role that forests will play in the changing social, political and ecological landscape of the 21st century will be discussed by leading scientists at the forest industry seminar. A number of other events will also take place.

Sustainable forest management, including climate change, will be the main item to be discussed.

Fergal Mulloy, former chairman of the institute, said the seminar will explore how to ensure maximum benefits to society without compromising the integrity of forests. “The need to manage the forest in order to produce multiple benefits is now recognised.

“In effect, forest managers are being called upon to act as ecosystem managers,” he said.

Professor Ted Farrell, UCD, who is organising this seminar, said it is the first international forest science seminar of this calibre ever held in Ireland.