We need to get on the road to self-sufficiency

THERE is still an obsession in Ireland with the mantra of “export-led economic growth” whilst businesses are closing down and others failing to start up and other countries are all now feeling the pinch and exports are struggling to do much more than tread water.

What about the idea of reducing imports as a way of improving our resilience and reducing our debt? Ways of reducing imports would include a campaign for buying Irish and support for more local food and timber initiatives.

Agroforestry initiatives (combining food and timber in carefully designed systems rather than separate fields and plantations) would be particularly appropriate throughout Ireland and tick the additional boxes of biodiversity enhancement, carbon sequestration, flood attenuation, soil stabilisation, improved soil fertility and enhanced landscape character.

This is proven in other countries and is surely worth a substantial investment now.

There would be a quick return from fruit and vegetables and possibly some early return from sale of tree and shrub saplings before the longer term benefits kick in.

Systems with grazing animals would lose very little grazing, whilst providing a long-term investment in valuable hardwoods.

Community gardens and farms should be encouraged, along with more allotments near towns and cities, so that we could obtain Irish produce instead of a lot of imports from Holland, Spain, etc.

Such projects as these also provide employment and training opportunities — exactly what is now needed.

Bob Wilson

CELT — Centre for Environmental Living and Training

Scariff

Co Clare