The Climate Council of Ireland warns about food security risks.

In the presented annual review of the agriculture and land use sector, experts note that Ireland currently imports about 83% of the vegetables and fruits it consumes. According to specialists, global climate threats — such as droughts, floods, and extreme heat leading to harvest failures in supplier countries — pose a serious risk to the stability of the country's food supply.

The number of domestic vegetable producers has decreased significantly over the last few decades. While in the 1990s there were more than 600 commercial farms in Ireland, today there are fewer than 70. The decline in the sector is attributed to high production start-up costs, pressure from retailers, low purchase prices, labor shortages, and international competition. The council recommends that the government analyze opportunities for expanding domestic horticulture and vegetable growing to strengthen food security.

Parallel to import issues, the report emphasizes the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. The sector is lagging behind its established commitments: with a target reduction of 10% from 2018 levels, the actual decrease was only 4.7%. To reach the 25% target by 2030, the council calls on the government to implement additional measures coordinated with rural communities and farmers.

Chairman of the Climate Change Advisory Council Alex White pointed out that farmers are increasingly facing extreme weather events, alternating between periods of excess moisture and drought. Under these conditions, government support is required, aimed at increasing farm resilience, adapting agricultural practices, and developing alternative directions such as forestry, carbon farming, and renewable energy sources.

The document also records a lag in annual afforestation plans (8,000 hectares), which jeopardizes the achievement of the goal to increase forest cover to 18% by the middle of the century.