Prof Maurice Boland UCD, Prof Patrick Cunningham, Chief Science Advisor, Mary Coughlan TD, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Dr Hugh Brady, UCD President at the recent conference on the future of the food industry, held in UCD.
A completely new approach to food research by the institutes and universities was called for by leading food industry chief Larry Murrin, Chief Executive of Dawn Farm Foods and Chairman of IBEC’s Food and Drink Industry Ireland at a recent conference held in UCD. The conference, which was opened by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Mary Coughlan TD provided a forum for discussion and debate on a new roadmap for research, innovation and education for the farming, food and rural development sectors.
A recent EU Foresight Report raised serious questions about the ability of current research and education programmes to drive a competitive and innovative agri-food industry over the next decade and beyond. The conference examined how these perceived deficiencies apply to Ireland and how the right programmes and structures can be developed that will best serve the needs of the industry.
Speakers included Christian Patermann, former Programme Director for "Biotechnology, Agriculture & Food" research at the European Commission, leading food executives, farmers, scientists, veterinarians, representatives from the rural development and 'new' industries sectors, senior representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Teagasc and UCD.
Over 200 delegates attended the meeting and based on the discussions which took place at the conference, a document on how to improve education, research and innovation in the agri-food sector will be sent to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for review by the Cabinet Committee on Science and Technology.
