Minister announces huge International Development Assistance funding
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced funding of €28.9 million for the international development for 2022.
This includes an advance payment of Ireland’s 2023 commitment of €25 million to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP).
Announcing the funding details Minister McConalogue said: “The continuing effects of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of vulnerable people into greater food insecurity because of failed harvests, disrupted supply chains, as well as regional conflict. Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine has compounded these impacts, particularly in parts of East Africa where starvation is endemic and famine now imminent.
“My Department leads on Ireland’s engagement with two UN agencies, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and Ireland’s funding to these agencies reinforces our global solidarity with the most vulnerable people in the world who are facing unimaginable food insecurity and nutrition crises.”
Acknowledging the advance payment of Ireland’s 2023 commitment to the WFP, Executive Director, David Beasley said that “The Government and people of Ireland have been long-time friends and partners to WFP in our fight against hunger. We are facing an unprecedented global food security crisis right now and Ireland’s flexible approach to funding is helping WFP to deliver vital assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. We look forward to continuing our important partnership to save lives and change lives in 2023 and beyond.”
Minister McConalogue also announced payments of €1.75 million for specific Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) projects and programmes, in addition to Ireland’s annual assessed contribution of €1.61 million. These specific projects have a strong focus on climate change resilience; emergency agricultural assistance; rural women’s economic empowerment; and work on sustainable food systems. It also includes the €750,000 project to support the farming community in Ukraine, which the Minister announced recently.
Payments of €240,000 under the Africa Agri-food Development Programme (AADP), which is operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, were also made.