Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine's (DAFM) Statement of Strategy is developed in the context of their role in contributing to the delivery of the SDGs.

DAFM will:

1. Embed the SDGs into the programmes and policies of the department including the 2030 Agri-Food Strategy. This strategy is called Food Vision 2030 and all the actions in the Food Vision 2030 implementation plan have been aligned with specific SDG targets. 
2. Take Ireland’s commitments under the SDGs into account in policy development and implementation
3. Align policies with the specific goals where they have a lead role by placing the SDGs at the heart of these policies
4. Encourage and support an agri-food sector that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable, in line with the SDGs
5. Contribute to progressing the SDGs, leading on 12 targets and sharing responsibility for another 21 targets across the following goals:

Their vision is for a sustainable, innovative and competitive agri-food, forestry and seafood sector.
Their mission is to lead, enable and regulate the sector in a way that optimises its contribution to social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Strategic Goals

Goal One

1. Implement robust controls on primary production and food/feed processing, placing particular focus on the connections between human, animal, plant and environmental health
2. Develop and pursue animal and plant health strategies leading to a reduction in pest/disease incidence and events
3. Guide and co-ordinate actions to address anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in the animal health sector and the environment
4. Act to reduce use of chemical pesticides and promote use of biological pesticides in line with provisions of EU Farm to Fork Strategy
5. Encourage the optimal use of animal and plant health products
6. Include animal health measures in the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan
7. Integrate new science and research learning into regulating animal and plant health, animal welfare and food safety

Goal Two

1. Provide income supports to farmers and others that are contingent on Ireland’s agricultural production being environmentally sustainable
2. Use the Rural Development Programme (RDP) and national funding to support environmental objectives in line with government policy
3. Contribute to the continued development of a vibrant forestry sector in Ireland which delivers social, environmental and economic needs for communities and the rural economy
4. Promote land management practices to support carbon removal

Goal Three

1. Agree a shared vision for the sustainable development of the sector to 2030 and work collaboratively to achieve that vision
2. Contribute at EU and international level to progress the climate agenda
3. Contribute effectively to international agricultural policy and development co-operation, including towards achievement of the UN SDGs and the ambitions of the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies
4. Cooperate across government to ensure national and international environmental goals are reflected in policy development
5. Develop and implement a CAP Strategic Plan that contributes to the achievement of national and EU climate and environmental objectives, including those under the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies
6. Deliver policies towards the long term objective of a climate neutral agriculture by 2050 and delivery of commitments under clean air, water and biodiversity
7. Support environmental goods and services as a key sectoral delivery, contributing to national climate, air, water and biodiversity commitments
8. Place climate adaptation at the centre of resilience planning and embed climate adaptation as part of future planning
9. Optimise land use options to deliver multiple objectives of food supply, nature based solutions and environmental goods and ensure a balance between social, economic and public good deliverables
10. Facilitate and support Irish research and innovation activity to enable the sector to innovate and deliver greater efficiency and economic, environmental and social sustainability
11. Support international collaboration in the area of biogenic methane
12. Support the development of a strong bioeconomy
13. Implement Ag Climatise and develop a strategy to support nature based improvements in biodiversity and water quality indicators.

Goal Four

1. Work collaboratively with agencies and other departments to implement national and EU policies, including the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development
2. Manage utilisation of sea-fisheries and aquaculture resources in consultation with stakeholders to promote environmental sustainability and the development of the sector’s economic and social contribution to rural/coastal communities
3. Collaboration with other departments, stakeholders and agencies to meet the target of 10% Marine Protected Area (MPA) coverage under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and support the principles and ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to aim for 30% MPA coverage by 2030

Goal Five

1. Develop plans, in conjunction with the OPW, to achieve government targets for energy efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030 across DAFM
2. Provide leadership to state bodies on best practice in energy management

The strategic objective is to contribute to the continued development of a vibrant forestry sector in Ireland which delivers social, environmental and economic needs for communities and the rural economy.

Actions include:

• Implement the MacKinnon report
• Design a new forest strategy for Ireland
• Design and implement a new National Forestry Programme

The strategic outcomes are to increase the area of land under forestry and create an efficient licencing system.

Key performance indicators include:

• Number of hectares planted
• Number of licences issued for afforestation, roads and felling