Guild 27 by Shenelle Perera

The problem

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 04:33:36 UTC

Ireland 2nd in the world for food security, but hugely dependent on imports
Large food export industry but mainly focused on meat and dairy
Therefore, supply chain resilience is low

Demand factors

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 04:35:41 UTC

Consumption patterns / eating habits and trends
Affordability
Effects of urbanisation on food production

Supply factors

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 04:37:08 UTC

What sort of crops are being grown
Future plans and policy direction in livestock and fisheries
Climate change impacts on Agriculture
Competition for water, energy and land

Corporate control

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:24:53 UTC

Multinational agribusinesses dictate food production, favoring monocultures (e.g., dairy exports) over diverse, local food systems

Globalised supply chains

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:39:21 UTC

Over 80% of Ireland’s food is imported, creating vulnerability to climate, trade, and financial shocks

Policy focus

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:40:54 UTC

EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Irish policies prioritise export-oriented production (e.g., dairy) over food security and sustainability

Power

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:42:14 UTC

Land consolidation

Small farmers displaced

Localised production

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:45:33 UTC

Community gardens

Urban agriculture

Small-scale organic farming

Policy demands

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-26 06:48:24 UTC

National food sovereignty strategy (e.g., public procurement of local food, land access for allotments)

CAP reform to prioritise agroecology and smallholders

Advocacy for democratic control of food systems

The food security illusion

marshcl — 2025-05-26 07:10:27 UTC

This huge reliance on imports means that Ireland's food security is an illusion - a significant disruption in supply chains would be almost entirely out of Ireland's control, and have devastating impact on its food supply

Example - Irish supermarkets' bread

marshcl — 2025-05-26 07:18:25 UTC

Most bread sold in Ireland is made in Ireland - but using what? The flour used to make "Irish" bread is mainly imported from the UK... which itself uses significant amounts of Canadian & US wheat. If North American combines stop harvesting, or global shipping grinds to a halt, or post-Brexit tariffs force even higher flour prices - what happens to Irish bread production?

Policy focus on food security

marshcl — 2025-05-26 07:25:31 UTC

The global development narrative focuses heavily on food security above all else, at both a policy and direct intervention/investment level, contributing to the food security illusion.

MNCs driving consumer consumption preferences

marshcl — 2025-05-26 07:31:42 UTC

Many MNC agribusinesses are vertically integrated across the supply chain, influencing consumer demand towards UHP products drawing on their vertically integrated control and increasing global interconnectedness of food supply

Recognition of food sovereignty vs food security

marshcl — 2025-05-26 07:39:35 UTC

Food sovereignty focuses on local control of food production, to alleviate systems risk inherent in global food supply systems that 'classic' food security relies on

Leverage points

shenelleperera92 — 2025-05-31 09:09:07 UTC

(1) reduce reliance on food imports - use policy & incentives; (2) transform farmland use - majority of farmland used for pasture (for beef/dairy exports); redirect subsidies to support mixed use farming, promote land access for new entrants; (3) decentralise food processing - eg develop community-scale processing hubs, like olive oil cooperatives in eg France, Greece; (4) strengthen local distribution and retail - expand farmers markets & food cooperatives, support digital platforms for direct-to-consumer food sales; (5) re-empower consumers & communities - public campaigns, food education inc in schools; (6) reform policy & governance - eg develop national food sovereignty strategy; shift CAP implementation to prioritise local food systems; (7) revalue ecosystem services - reframe agriculture as ecosystem stewardship, pay famers for ecosystem services eg soil carbon, biodiversity, water retention.

Labour & skills shortages in Irish agriculture

am2649 — 2025-05-31 10:42:32 UTC

Aging farming population: over half of Irish landowners are over 55, with only 6.2% under 35. Many older farmers lack successors, hindering land mobility and generational renewal.

Skill gaps and sector attractiveness: challenges in attracting qualified workers due to low wages, long hours, and limited career prospects.
Dependence on migrant labour: hiring of non-EU workers in roles such as dairy farm assistants and meat processing operatives

Irish farms viability & economic pressures

am2649 — 2025-05-31 10:55:12 UTC

Rising operational costs: farmers face increasing input costs and regulatory pressures, with dairy farmers particularly affected. These challenges impact profitability and long-term viability.

Existing Food Sovereignty initiatives in Ireland

am2649 — 2025-05-31 11:05:13 UTC

Talamh Beo

A grassroots, farmer-led organization advocating for food, fuel, and fibre sovereignty. Affiliated with La Via Campesina and focus on policies that benefit small-scale farmers and rural communities.

Grow It Yourself Ireland

A non-profit social enterprise encouraging individuals and communities to grow their own food. GIY supports over 80 local groups across Ireland and runs campaigns like "Get Ireland Growing" to promote community food growing and reduce food waste.

Irish Seed Savers Association

Dedicated to preserving Ireland's agricultural biodiversity, this organization maintains a seed bank with over 600 non-commercially available varieties.

FoodCloud

A Dublin-based social enterprise that tackles food waste by redistributing surplus food from businesses to charities. Since its inception, FoodCloud has redistributed over 360 million meals and aims to reach a billion by 2030.

Feeding Ourselves Gathering

An annual event held in Cloughjordan Ecovillage, bringing together farmers, activists, and policymakers to discuss agroecology, local food economies, and rural resilience. The gathering fosters collaboration and the development of strategies to strengthen Ireland's food sovereignty.

Seed Sovereignty Programme – Ireland

Part of a broader UK and Ireland initiative, this program supports growers in saving and exchanging seeds, building networks, and promoting seed sovereignty. It addresses the fragility of seed systems highlighted by events like Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.