CAP Network Ireland, which is co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has launched an eight-week social media campaign entitled ‘There’s more to the story…’ to highlight the ongoing contributions made by farmers in Ireland to restoring the natural environment under a range of European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes.
The campaign, which will feature regular posts to social media platforms over the coming weeks, will provide interesting statistics that illustrate how the ongoing efforts of the farming community are paying off in terms of benefits to the environment. These benefits include the protection of watercourses, the expansion of habitat areas for wildlife, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and increases in organic farming practice and hedgerow planting. The figures presented in the campaign demonstrate that farming is also part of the solution to the current climate and biodiversity crises and that farmers in Ireland are playing a key role in restoring nature.
‘With this campaign, we want to recognise the actions and progressive decisions that the farmers in these schemes have made so far. And we want to show how they have contributed to the positive figures that are now starting to emerge as a result.’ explains John Murphy, Agri-Science Project Officer with CAP Network Ireland.
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farming incomes, protects the environment, and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level in line with the current CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027.
CAP Network Ireland champions sustainable agriculture and rural innovation, and it aims to nurture connections, spark innovation, and present funding opportunities within Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP). It supports a variety of schemes that aim to improve the health of our natural environment and support sustainable rural development, under which significant advances have been made by the farmers involved. For example, organic land area has tripled in recent years with over 5,000 farmers now taking part in the Organic Farming Scheme. The sector has achieved a 4.6 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2022 and 2023. Other positive figures emerge from ongoing schemes such as the Eco-Scheme and ACRES (the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme).
According to James Claffey, Project Manager with CAP Network Ireland, ‘The figures presented by this campaign might be surprising to many. There’s a tendency for the actions taken by farmers to help the environment to be overshadowed by bigger discussions around the negative impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. But these figures demonstrate that the efforts made by farmers so far are starting to pay off to some extent. And this, I think, gives us hope for the future and motivates us to keep going and do more.’
Farmers in Ireland have shown a significant commitment and willingness to engage and be part of the solution, with 97% of farmers signed up to the Eco-Scheme for example. However, further actions across all sectors are necessary if Ireland is to meet its climate action targets, reverse the decline in biodiversity and restore its natural environment. CAP Network Ireland offers farmers the opportunity to participate in a range of further actions through CAP Schemes for which funding, support and information are available.
Those interested in accessing the latest information and insights related to CAP funding, schemes, training, and networking opportunities in Ireland can sign up to the CAP Network Ireland mailing list for free on capnetworkireland.eu. The website also features news, resources, case studies and more useful information.
Look out for the campaign ‘There’s more to the story….’ on social media in the coming weeks. And check out the campaign webpage at capnetworkireland.eu/campaigns
