Dr Eoin Lettice: Meat and dairy are inefficient means of food production

Over 80% of farmland and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions globally come from meat and dairy production despite accounting for just 18% of calories and 37% of protein

Irish agriculture, given its relatively compact scale on the global scene, has an opportunity to lead the world and be a model for best practice for the conversion from a beef/dairy-dominated model to a truly sustainable mixed farming model.

Food production is at the heart of the climate change conundrum. 

Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in Ireland represent 37.5% of our total emissions, according to the latest EPA figures. Regardless of the compromises reached in the current Government negotiations, it is simply not viable then to suggest that agriculture should not bear a correspondingly significant proportion of the emissions reductions to meet the Carbon Budget for 2021-2025 and beyond.