Teagasc Horticulture ‘Healthy People, Healthy Planet’ exhibit at Bloom 2022
Teagasc are delighted to be exhibiting this year at Bord Bia Bloom running from June 2nd to 6th in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. This year’s show will have something for all ages and interests and the Teagasc stand will be no exception. Teagasc has developed an exciting exhibit for Bloom to support the horticulture sector and the growers and producers who make up the sector. Visit www.teagasc.ie/bloom22 for more detail.
There will be an opportunity for visitors who are interested in the relationship between horticulture, plants, food and the environment to engage with Teagasc staff on the stand. We have six sub themes on the Teagasc exhibit, which offer something to interest everyone, so we invite you to drop by and say hello, we would be delighted to meet you!
Sustainability is a major theme currently in the horticulture sector. The Teagasc horticulture exhibit ‘Healthy People, Healthy Planet’ sets out to inspire people and create awareness about Irish fruits and vegetables and their positive impact on personal health, in terms of consumption, and the positive climate impact in choosing fresh produce, plants and trees. The concept of personal health and a diet including fruit and vegetables is emphasised while the sustainability credentials of fruit and vegetables are also to the fore. Fruit and vegetables have the smallest area of land use and the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of food product.
Visiting Bloom today, the Director of Teagasc, Professor Frank O Mara reiterated Teagasc’s commitment to supporting sustainable food production systems. Speaking on the Teagasc stand he said; “We encourage and support growers and farmers to be sustainable from an economic, social and environmental perspective. The theme of the Teagasc stand here at Bloom – ‘Healthy People, Healthy Planet’ reflects the importance of the food we eat, not just to our own wellbeing, but to the natural environment we live in. Visitors can see some of our research outputs, along with our advisory services and education course offerings.”
Teagasc Horticulture Development Department will display a range of research and advisory supports to the horticulture sector and emphasise work recently commenced by Teagasc to develop alternatives to peat based growing media in the horticulture sector.
Horticulture Education will feature the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin and Kildalton Horticulture College, Piltown, County Kilkenny. Both colleges play a major role in horticultural education and training in Ireland, and are highlighting the Teagasc horticulture education courses and options available.
The Food Waste Challenge showcases Teagasc research to reduce food waste and minimise single use plastics in horticulture products, supporting a transition to more sustainable packaging, and generating new data on food waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Irish landscape provides a rich variety of natural, cultural and built heritage. The Biodiversity in our Countryside exhibit outlines a range of relevant Teagasc resources that address farmland biodiversity and the Irish countryside.
Teagasc Forestry Development Department highlights its work in promoting and researching the many benefits that trees and forests provide for us, including their vital role in addressing climate change challenges.
Potato Research details how Teagasc research is supporting Irish potato production by developing new potato varieties and helping to better forecast potato late blight.
Dermot Callaghan, Head of Teagasc Horticulture Development Department said: “The value of the Horticulture sector for consumers in terms of fruits, vegetables and plants has come into sharp focus in recent times. Fresh produce has a key role to play in healthy diets and has a low environmental footprint, but also the value of plants and trees in our gardens and our built environment is now clearer than ever. We are squarely behind these themes for Bloom.”
Principal at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, John Mulhern said; “Teagasc Horticulture education will be strongly represented at this year’s Bloom event with staff available from The National Botanic Gardens and Kildalton College and we look forward to discussing learning options with the public. The opportunities for graduates of our courses for employment in the sector are immense. Students who study Horticulture at Teagasc are very much aligned with the theme of “Healthy People Healthy planet”.