We were delighted to bring the case for sustainable farming innovation to the heart of national government last month.
On 26th May, CLD representatives joined Green Restoration Ireland Co-operative for a presentation to TDs and Senators at Leinster House, focusing on two promising techniques – paludiculture and biochar – that could open up real opportunities for farmers in our area and beyond.
PRESS RELEASE
On Tuesday 26th of May Castlepollard Local Development joined with Green Restoration Ireland to make a presentation to an audience of TDs and Senators in the Audio Visual room of Leinster House.
This was facilitated by Minister Peter Burke through his colleague Catherine Callaghan TD from the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency.
The purpose of the presentation was the promotion of paludiculture and biochar – two proven innovative farming techniques – as viable options for farmers to respond to the challenge of delivering sustainable farming in Ireland providing alternative revenue streams for them.
Opening the event Stephen O’Brien, Chair of Castlepollard Local Development, spoke about CLDs role over the past ten years promoting the sustainable community development of the town of Castlepollard and its wider hinterland. Touching on the theme “Think Global, Act Local” he explained CLDs motivation in partnering with Green Restoration Ireland Co-operative for the benefit of the farmers and the local economy.
Anthony Maguire, a member of CLD and a full time farmer was next to address the gathering. He gave an informative speech, based on his life and experiences in farming. He covered the need for support to help farmers and farming adapt and modernise. He noted the need to continue to attract new entrants into farming and highlighted the uncertainty regarding the future changes to CAP. It and other associated schemes are adapting to an environmental and innovation path rather than the production format now in place. Anthony pointed out that farming, as an individual endeavour, is at risk of becoming unviable but that environmental themed production formats that can supplement traditional farming was the way forward. Paludiculture and biochar production could give rise to increased co-operation between farmers and produce new agribased enterprises.
The main speaker was Dr Doug McMillan of Green Restoration Ireland Cooperative; his presentation “Peatlands for Prosperity” outlined the benefits of paludiculture and biochar.
Paludiculture is best understood as farming on bogland whether wet or rewetted by actively managing the water table and choosing the most advantageous crop compatible with the situation. These can be livestock, food crops, forestry or textiles. Paludiculture offers considerable environmental advantages for both the farmer and the environment. In particular preserving peat carbon stock, minimising greenhouse gas emissions from soil and minimising carbon emissions to surface waters. Donie Regan, Ireland’s first paludiculture farmer with support from the Peatlands for Prosperity project was also in the audience.
Biochar is processed from agricultural by-products and organic matter to leave a natural material with multiple applications, in soil improvement, water treatment and construction.
Both processes offer environmental and economic opportunities to farmers whether alone or working in combination and to local economies.
Various different crops and valuable products that have been proven at the demo farms:
Also speaking was Brian Gorman, a peat and bog worker who set up Artful Parks, which aims to restore peatlands and develop a new vision and future for boglands. Brian spoke about transitions to new innovative environmental ideas after the shutdown of peat production in this country. David Holton of Bulrush also spoke about the potential for peatland restoration and the potential for paludiculture.
The audience of TDs enjoyed the presentations and were engaged with the subject as evidenced by the questions being asked. Castlepollard Local Development, in collaboration with Green Restoration Ireland intends to further promote these alternative farming techniques of paludiculture and biochar as sustainable farming methods that can be applied to suitable land in the Westmeath area.
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