Something in the Soil

What are the main goals of your visit to the UAE?

This visit is about further developing an already strong and mutually beneficial relationship between Ireland and the UAE. In particular, I want to raise the profile of Ireland not only as a provider of the highest quality food and ingredients in the world, but also as a source of technical expertise in the agribusiness sector that can help partner countries build their own food production capacity. In this regard, I believe that there is significant scope for mutually beneficial commercial opportunities in the provision of agro-services in areas such as food safety and quality, innovation, and product development that can lead to successful cooperation and collaboration between Irish and Emirati partners. Ireland shares the same honorable values as the peoples of the UAE, and the personal, face-to-face engagement helps to build the kind of confidence that can develop and sustain lasting business relationships.

Where do you see the big opportunities for partnership between the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Ireland in the agriculture sector?

There are strong and obvious synergies between Abu Dhabi’s food security policy objectives and Ireland’s strategic plan for the expansion and development of its agribusiness sector. Ireland is a small country of just over 4 million people, but already produces enough food to feed 36 million people. Under its Food Harvest 2020 program, we plan to increase the value-added in these sectors by 40% and the value of exports by 42% in the period to 2020. In addition, our long tradition of food production has allowed us to develop expertise in the areas of food research, product development, and production engineering, and I believe that there are commercial opportunities for fruitful engagement between Irish and Emirati companies in these areas.

Why should consumers in the UAE buy Irish food products instead of those of rival exporters?

Ireland is a small island nation that is not rich in mineral resources. However, we have a mild maritime climate, plentiful supplies of water, and a landscape of natural pasturelands. We are fortunate to live in an environment designed by nature for quality food production. Our dairy, beef, and sheep products come from grass-fed animals reared outdoors in the most natural conditions possible. As Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, I am acutely conscious of the rare value of these assets. In planning for the development and expansion of the agribusiness sector in Ireland, maintaining a focus on quality production in a natural environment, while harnessing the latest technologies to ensure that food is produced in the most sustainable way possible is a key priority. The sustainable production of high-quality foods has been the hallmark of the food industry in Ireland. More than 11% of internationally traded infant formula comes from Ireland, and the fact that three of the four largest manufacturers of infant formula in the world have chosen Ireland as their home is a testament to our reputation for quality, safety, and sustainability. This is what people buy into when they purchase Irish food products.

How prevalent is knowledge transfer in this sector between the UAE and Ireland?

There are already strong links between the Gulf region and Ireland when it comes to the provision of technology and expertise in the agribusiness sector. The Irish Food Safety Authority has established strong links with its counterpart in Abu Dhabi, and provides advice and information exchange in that field.