Food Wise 2025 identifies potential for agri-food growth
Food Wise 2025, the new 10-year strategy for the agri-food sector underlines the sector’s unique special position in the economy, and it illustrates the potential which exists for it to grow even further.
Both government departments worked closely to update the report, and jointly hosted a food and drinks skills workshop in November last year.
Mr Creed said this proved a very useful format, with stakeholders from the food and beverage industry, trade unions and academics discussing the skills gaps and needs facing the industry and gathering practical ideas of how to address these issues.
“My department hosted an event last week looking at skills gaps at farm level, and will report its conclusions to the High-Level Implementation Committee,” he said.
Ms Mitchell O’Connor said the co-operation between the two departments has been seamless, and a wide range of stakeholders from industry, public sector, academia and the unions have worked with them energetically during the project.
The report identifies 12 recommendations under the headings of co-ordination, internships and apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and languages.
These will be reported on a bi-annual basis. Mr Creed said progress on implementing the recommendations will be presented to him as chair of the Food Wise 2025 committee.
“These will help to ensure that the food industry attracts, retains and develops the right people with the right skills to achieve our Food Wise 2025 ambitions. In the context of Brexit, this is more important than ever,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Mitchell O’Connor said the succinct recommendations to be carried out by a range of public and private sector actors, working together, can achieve great things.
