Minister Launches New Teagasc Advisory Services
Issued 4thDecember 2001
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Joe Walsh, today launched a major new Teagasc advisory initiative aimed at securing a highly competitive Irish farming sector and maintaining the viability of rural areas.
The new initiative involves the provision of two specialised services - the Technology and Business Service and the Rural Viability Service - focused on the needs of two distinct groups of farmers. It involves a fundamental restructuring of Teagasc's advisory resources and focusing of expertise towards the key challenges facing farmers and rural Ireland over the coming decade.
The new Technology and Business Service will be staffed by advisers specialised in the key farming enterprises, whose job will be to ensure that the best production technology and business management practices are implemented by farmers.
The Minister said the core target group of the new service is the 37,000 full-time farmers who, according to the Teagasc 2000 farm income survey, had an average income of over £22,000. However, a significant number of part-time farmers who are operating at high levels of productivity will also be targeted.
The service will be backed-up by Teagasc researchers thereby ensuring that all new technology is made available to farmers. There will also be close collaboration with industry through the provision of joint Teagasc/industry development programmes. This will ensure that services are fully reflective of industry and consumer needs and that the combined resources of the state and industry are used to the best effect.
Rural Viability
The second service, the Rural Viability Service, will be directed towards farmers whose viability is under threat and who are not capable of making an adequate household income from farming alone.
A critical component of this new service will be a specially developed Opportunities for Farm Families Programme where farm families will be given expert confidential assistance in assessing their current position, examining the on-farm and off-farm options open to them and identifying the best opportunities to boost household income and improve quality of family life.
The initial target group of the new service is 21,000 farm families who are currently under threat. The objective is to help these families to generate additional income through on-farm and off-farm activities, thereby helping to secure their viability.
Welcoming the new services, the Minister said they will address the key demands of international competitiveness, rural viability, environmental sustainability and food safety and quality.
Competitiveness
''We already have some of the most competitive and innovative farmers in the world. Notwithstanding the enormous growth in employment and output in the manufacturing and services sectors, food exports still account for over 23% of net foreign earnings. The vitality and viability of a large number of rural towns is intrinsically linked to a vibrant farming and food sector. This new initiative will ensure that critical expertise for competitiveness and viability is made available to farm families'', he said.
The Director of Teagasc, Dr Liam Downey, said the new advisory approach is an integral part of a major re-orientation of Teagasc's research, advisory and training services.
''The research programme is now more fully focused on the critical areas of food innovation and safety where Teagasc has developed world level expertise. Increased emphasis is also being placed on livestock, crops and food biotechnology and on economic and policy analysis''.
''In education and training, all Teagasc courses have been upgraded and bench-marked to the highest international standards. Courses are also nationally accredited with a number of third level courses on the Central Applications Office (CAO) list''.
''With the launch today of our new advisory services, I am confident that all integrated services provided by Teagasc are well placed to meet the challenges facing the agriculture and food sector and rural communities over the next decade'', said Dr Downey.
