Irish offer expertise in building sustainable national food systems
Irish agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue has unveiled Sustainable Food Systems Ireland (SFSI), an initiative that shares Irish agri-food expertise internationally.
Sustainable Food Systems Ireland (SFSI) is an initiative which offers Irish Government expertise in agri-food systems to international partners to strengthen their systems for food security, sustainability, productivity, and safety, on a commercial basis.
Welcoming yesterday’s Government decision to establish SFSI on a permanent basis, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD, said:
“We can be proud of the progress that the Irish agri-food sector has made in recent decades to become a supplier of the highest quality food, with a strong reputation in terms of food safety, innovation and agri-technology. SFSI provides a brand to share our Irish Government expertise in food systems with partner countries internationally, on a commercial basis. The services provided by SFSI have added benefits for Ireland, as better relationships can open the door for new trade opportunities, our reputation is enhanced, and our agri-food agencies can also play a role in Ireland’s development co-operation activities.”
SFSI is a collaborative project between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Enterprise Ireland, Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. SFSI provides consultancy and training services, on a commercial basis, to clients around the world - partner governments, regions and sectors.
SFSI was established on a pilot basis in 2014. The Government has now decided to continue the initiative on a permanent basis, with an SFSI executive team based within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, working closely with the other founding agencies to implement projects in areas like food safety, dairy sector development, food systems, animal disease control, agri-food innovation and knowledge transfer.
