Why it makes economic sense to focus on driving forward a sustainable farming approach
As DAERA minister, I am equally responsible for agriculture, the environment, climate change, animal health and welfare, and rural affairs. It is a wide portfolio and these are all areas that are critical to the wellbeing of our society, our economy and environment.
As we try to secure a prosperous future, we must deliver a thriving economy while taking the right measures to protect and restore our environment. Neither of these goals are mutually exclusive. In fact, they go hand in hand.
In DAERA, we are focused on grasping these opportunities.
Northern Ireland needs to turn the curve when it comes to matching our environmental needs to our economic ambitions. If the environment is allowed to further decline, it will impact a range of sectors from farming to tourism and inhibit inward investment. However, if we tackle this together, we will ensure our globally competitive agriculture sector will continue to thrive. We will create new green jobs, while addressing the decline in our biodiversity and protecting our land and waterways.
I appreciate there's no quick fix that will bring our environment back to the quality it should be. However, the challenge of balancing a sustainable economy isn't unique to Northern Ireland. It's one all governments are facing. It's complex and multi-layered but we need to be ambitious; there are dividends for our quality of life, economy and nature if we get it right.
In DAERA, we are focused on grasping these opportunities. Among the actions we have taken are a lot of 'firsts' — Northern Ireland's first ever Environmental Improvement Plan; an Executive-agreed action plan for Lough Neagh; agreed carbon budgets; Executive agreement to consult on Northern Ireland's first draft Climate Action Plan; and the only devolved administration to secure a ringfenced budget for agriculture. While it is good all this work is in train, the scale of the challenge is such that we cannot be complacent. We need to do more and we need to do it urgently.
Farming and agri-food are critical to the Northern Ireland economy, contributing a combined £1.6 billion of Gross Value Added alongside 78,400 jobs. Every farmer and agri-food company plays their part and by protecting our environment and responding to climate change, we are focusing on how we secure a sustainable future for the industry.
That's why in the new Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP), I have secured the retention of £330m earmarked funding for farmers - something no other UK region delivered. I remain committed to a farming approach that continues to deliver high-quality and nutritious food, without compromising the ability of future generations of farmers to do the same. I am also committed to working in partnership with the agri-food sector and environmental stakeholders to ensure the funding I have secured delivers real impact on the ground for farmers and the environment. I will work to deliver the One Health action plan to secure healthy people, animals, the food chain and environment.
...it makes economic sense to focus on improving our environment and driving forward a sustainable farming approach. It also makes sense to have a robust and effective governance framework where we can be held to account and show improvement.
Lough Neagh, the Nutrient Action Programme, the draft Climate Action Plan, the Sustainable Agriculture Programme, water quality, ammonia, TB — they're all interconnected. The environment impacts almost every aspect of our lives. We cannot thrive and survive — individually or as a society — without clean water, healthy food, flourishing biodiversity, clean air, healthy animals and resilient communities. Where will we be if we continue to neglect the environment, if we fail to put our agri-food sector on a truly sustainable footing, ignore food security in the face of a changing climate, forego opportunities to be innovative and attract investment and overlook the economic opportunities that come with change?
That's why it makes economic sense to focus on improving our environment and driving forward a sustainable farming approach. It also makes sense to have a robust and effective governance framework where we can be held to account and show improvement. The work of the independent panel that I commissioned earlier this year to examine our environmental governance is progressing at pace and will soon help identify the necessary steps to strengthen environmental governance.
As we marry economic ambition and environmental protection, we must work collectively. Government won't have all the answers and that's why I want to hear from farmers, environmentalists and other sectors on how we address these issues together.
While I appreciate that the scale of the change required can be daunting, every day we delay collective action, the greater the cost to our environment and economy. Together I believe we can chart a way forward to deliver real improvements that will enhance prosperity and well-being.
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