LMC delivers sustainable agriculture presentation to teachers

In recent days LMC industry development manager, Colin Smith, delivered a presentation at the British Nutrition Foundation’s conference for Food and Nutrition teachers in NI.

The conference provided insight into the food and nutrition issues that impact the lives and education of children and young people in NI, with presentations from experts in the fields of education, food and farming and nutrition.

Beginning his presentation titled, understanding sustainability – a NI red meat industry perspective, Colin outlined the legislative targets and industry led sustainability initiatives that agri food supply chain members are engaged in.

He also provided an informative breakdown of the economic importance of the sector to the local economy.

He said: “Agriculture is a critically important industry to Northern Ireland. It contributes almost £5bn to the NI economy and provides employment for around 113,000 people.

“In NI we can produce enough food to feed 10 million people in the UK and further afield and that is important because population will continue to rise. In 2021 there was 820 million people suffering from hunger and that is not sustainable.

“Agriculture production needs to increase to meet the demand for food while ultimately the area for food production is decreasing.

“Agriculture while it is an emitter of greenhouse gasses is unique in its opportunity to be part of the solution to climate change. Agriculture through sequestration of carbon can act as a carbon sink so as we grow food, crops and grass for animals to eat, through photosynthesis carbon is being sequestered, or absorbed into our land and soils and is being stored there.”

Colin also touched on aspects of the CCEA food and nutrition syllabus that closely link to agriculture in the context of sustainability. He discussed the role of the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance Scheme and also explained how the scheme is instrumental in helping to enhance sustainable farming practices.