Ag cosaint ár n-ithreacha
An Dr Fiona Ní Bhraonáin
Tá ithreacha i measc na n-acmhainní nádúrtha is tábhachtaí atá againn. Cuireann a ról ríthábhachtach i dtáirgeadh bia, i stóráil carbóin agus i sláinte plandaí iad i gcroílár na ndúshlán domhanda maidir le slándáil bia agus athrú aeráide. Ar an leibhéal idirnáisiúnta, tá ithreacha ag tabhairt aghaidh ar bhrú nach bhfacthas riamh roimhe, agus meastar go bhfuil 33% d’ithreacha domhanda díghrádaithe measartha nó go mór, agus meastar 60-70% d’ithreacha an AE a bheith míshláintiúil faoi láthair.
Le déanaí, cuireadh roinnt straitéisí agus beartas i bhfeidhm ar leibhéal an AE agus é mar aidhm acu an ithir a chosaint. Áirítear orthu sin forbairt straitéise ithreacha 2030 an AE, bunú Misean AE maidir le Sláinte agus Bia Ithir (a bhfuil sé mar aidhm aige a chinntiú go bhfuil 75% d’ithreacha sláintiúil faoi 2030), agus gnéithe de shláinte na hithreach a chuimsiú i Margadh Glas an AE agus Straitéis ‘Ón bhFeirm go dtí an Forc’. Faoi láthair tá na Ballstáit ag smaoineamh ar ghlacadh le dlí sláinte ithreach, a thabharfadh cosaint dhlíthiúil don ithir agus táthar ag súil go bhfoilseofar é an samhradh seo. Tá taighdeoirí na hÉireann gafa go gníomhach in iarrachtaí Eorpacha chun an bonn fianaise a fhorbairt le haghaidh táscairí agus tairseacha sláinte ithreach a bheidh ag teastáil chun bonn a chur faoi reachtaíocht ar bith.
Ón 12ú-15ú Márta 2023 tiocfaidh an 3ú comhdháil Dhomhanda um Bithéagsúlacht Ithreach, arna comhóstáil ag an gColáiste na Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath agus Teagasc, go hÉirinn. Tabharfaidh an chomhdháil seo na príomheolaithe i réimse na bithéagsúlachta ithreach chun eolas agus saineolas nua a roinnt ar an saol laistigh dár n-ithreacha. Ar an 16ú Márta reáchtálfar lá páirce dar teideal ‘Ag feirmeoireachta ar son sláinte Ithreach’ i gCaisleán Bhaile Sheáin Teagasc a léireoidh na cleachtais agus na teicneolaíochtaí is féidir a ghlacadh ar fheirmeacha chun sláinte na hithreach a mheas agus a fheabhsú.
Safeguarding our soils
Soils are amongst our most vital natural resources. Their critical role in food production, carbon storage and plant health places them at the heart of global challenges around food security and climate change. At an international level, soils are facing unprecedented pressures, with 33% of global soils considered to be moderately or highly degraded, and 60-70% of EU soils currently considered unhealthy.
Recently, a number of strategies and policies have been put in place at EU level with the aim of protecting soil. These include the development of an EU soils strategy 2030, the establishment of an EU Mission on Soil Health and Food (which aims to ensure 75% of soils are healthy by 2030), and the inclusion of aspects of soil health in the EU Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy. Currently member states are considering the adoption of a soil health law, which would provide legal protection to soil and is expected to be published this summer. Irish researchers have been actively engaged in European efforts towards developing the evidence base for indicators and thresholds of soil health that will be needed to underpin any legislation.
From the 12th-15th of March 2023 the 3rd Global Soil Biodiversity conference, co-hosted by University College Dublin and Teagasc, will come to Ireland. This conference will bring the leading scientists in the area of soil biodiversity to share new knowledge and expertise on the life within our soils. On March 16th a field day entitled ‘Farming for Soil Health’ will be held in Teagasc Johnstown Castle that will demonstrate the practices and technologies that can be adopted on farms to assess and enhance soil health.