O’Cuiv’s schemes to take up rural livelihoods slack

HOW do you keep family farming at the heart of rural development, if it is accepted that the land of Ireland, despite increased production, will provide a livelihood for fewer people?

That was the question posed at a North Cork County IFA seminar in Mallow by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon Ó Cuiv, who said the approach must be multi-faceted.

Minister Ó Cuiv said farmers and “farm-connected” people must remain a high percentage of the rural population.