Minister Sherlock hails success of Irish Aid - Teagasc partnership
23/9/15The Minister for Development, Trade Promotion and North-South Co-operation, Sean Sherlock T.D., today visited the National Ploughing Championships where he praised the partnership between Irish Aid, the Government’s programme for overseas development, and Teagasc, the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food industry
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships, where he visited both the Irish Aid and Teagasc stands, Minister Sherlock said:
“Ireland is a longstanding advocate of using cutting edge agricultural research and development to support farmers in some of the world’s most challenging environments to increase their yields and the quality of their crops. This is critical in countries where up to eight in ten people depend on agriculture for their very survival.
“Research and innovation are vital for farmers everywhere. A major challenge in increasing agricultural productivity in Africa is getting the right knowledge to the people who need it, at the right time, in the right way.
“By teaming up with Teagasc, Irish Aid is harnessing skills, research, and expertise, and sharing this knowledge with Ireland’s key partner countries through our development programme.
In the six months since Minister Sherlock signed the agreement formalising the partnership, Irish Aid has benefitted from Teagasc’s links into agricultural research in countries like Ethiopia, Tanzania, Vietnam and Mozambique. The partnership has enabled Irish Aid to harness Teagasc’s knowledge, expertise and experience in agriculture and research in order to help poor farmers increase their yields of quality crops. This knowhow is particularly useful in the countries in which Irish Aid operates, where the majority of poor people depend on agriculture as the principal source of their livelihoods.
Minister Sherlock also stated:
“As I prepare to travel to the Sustainable Development Summit at the United Nations in New York this week, it remains clear that productive and sustainable agriculture practices will be crucial to meeting challenges of climate change, food security, and eradicating hunger.
“Drawing on strengths of Irish Aid and Teagasc, I believe we can continue to offer valuable assistance to our African partners in translating their vision for the future of agriculture in their countries into a reality.”
Irish Aid has exhibited at the National Ploughing Championships since 2008 and typically attracts several thousand visitors over the three days. This year the Irish Aid/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information stand at the National Ploughing Championship is located at Block 3, Row 26, Stand 448.
Notes for Editors
- Minister Sherlock will visit the Irish Aid information stand at the National Ploughing Championships during the afternoon of Wednesday September 23rd.
- Irish Aid has exhibited at the National Ploughing Championships since 2008 and typically attracts several thousand visitors over the three days. This year the Irish Aid/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information stand at the National Ploughing Championship is located at Block 3, Row 26, Stand 448.
- Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas assistance programme. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. For further information see www.irishaid.ie. Support for improving the productivity of smallholder agriculture to combat hunger is a central priority of the Irish Aid programme and is a priority recommendation of the Government-commissioned Hunger Task Force Report of 2008. Irish Aid support for agriculture assigns special importance to agricultural development practices which are nutrition-sensitive, climate-smart and promote gender equality.
- Teagasc – the Agriculture and Food Development Authority – is the national body providing integrated research, advisory and training services to the agriculture and food industry and rural communities.