Ireland Pledges €284M to Global Food, Agriculture & Nutrition Programs

Key Takeaways

1. Ireland has committed to providing at least €284 million this year for global food, agriculture, and nutrition initiatives.
2. The funding includes €4.2 million for the UN’s Food Systems Hub, €2.5 million for a Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative, and €2 million for the ‘Grain from Ukraine’ initiative.
3. Tánaiste Micheál Martin T.D. made the announcement at a major food systems event in New York.
4. The funding aims to build resilience and capacity across food, health, education, economic, and governance systems.
5. Ireland will invest at least €42 million in a new joint program in Malawi over the next four years.

Ireland has pledged to contribute at least €284 million this year to support food, agriculture, and nutrition programs worldwide. The announcement was made by Tánaiste Micheál Martin T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, at a significant food systems event in New York.

Funding Breakdown

The funding includes several new pledges:

• €4.2 million to support the UN’s Food Systems Hub, managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), over three years.
• €2.5 million to support a new Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative in partnership with IFAD and the Irish League of Credit Unions.
• €2 million to the ‘Grain from Ukraine’ initiative to help mitigate the impact of the war in Ukraine on developing countries.

Ireland’s Role in Global Hunger Alleviation

Tánaiste Micheál Martin emphasized that Ireland is a world leader in tackling hunger and that ending hunger is one of the core priorities of the country’s international engagement. “We are in a global food and nutrition crisis, one characterized by more frequent shocks,” he said, adding that building resilience must become an urgent core strategy.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The announcement comes on the eve of the SDG Summit in New York, where Ireland aims to play a leading role. The summit serves as a crucial moment to assess progress against the SDG targets and create momentum to achieve these critical goals. Ireland believes that transforming food systems must be central to reinvigorating the SDGs.

Future Programs and Partnerships

The €284 million pledge includes a range of partnerships through Irish Aid, the Government’s overseas development assistance program. This includes a €50 million pledge over three years to combat child wasting in cooperation with USAID and UNICEF. Additionally, Ireland will invest at least €42 million in a new joint program in Malawi with smallholder farmers and the private sector over the next four years.

Photo by Magdalena Smolnicka on Unsplash