Minister McConalogue announces International Development Assistance funding of €29.76 million for 2023
- Published on: 27 December 2023
- Last updated on: 13 April 2024
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced funding of €29,762,733 from his department for international development and humanitarian relief for 2023. This includes an advance payment of Ireland’s 2024 commitment of €25 million to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP).
Announcing the funding details Minister McConalogue said:
“Ireland's commitment to tackling the escalating food security crisis, exacerbated by the convergence of geopolitical conflicts and climate change, remains steadfast. Through strategic alliances with our UN agency partners and our policy of flexible funding, we are not just aiming to alleviate immediate hunger, but also working diligently towards the Sustainable Development Goal of achieving Zero Hunger by 2030.
“The early disbursement of Ireland's pledged funding is a crucial step in bolstering the World Food Programme's life-saving operations, particularly in conflict regions in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and now in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, where the need for immediate humanitarian relief is pressing. Our solidarity with those countries benefiting from these vital programmes resonates deeply with farmers and food producers in Ireland, as we champion sustainable food production here and abroad.”
Acknowledging the advance payment of Ireland’s 2024 commitment to the WFP, Executive Director, Ms Cindy McCain said:
“Ireland has long been a resolute friend and ally to WFP in the enduring fight against hunger. This funding commitment is crucial to help us tackle malnutrition, support vulnerable communities adapt to climate change, and build more resilient food systems capable of feeding every person on our planet. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Ireland in the coming years.”
Minister McConalogue also announced payments of €2.77 million for specific Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) projects and programmes, in addition to Ireland’s annual assessed contribution of €1.64 million. These specific projects have a strong focus on emergency agricultural assistance; climate change resilience; rural women’s economic empowerment; and work on sustainable food systems. It also includes the €428,000 seed potato project to support the farming community in Ukraine, which the Minister announced earlier this year. Payments of €350,000 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, were also made.
Notes
UN World Food Programme (WFP)
WFP is a United Nations organisation responsible fighting hunger worldwide and is funded exclusively from voluntary contributions. Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, pledges to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture, and is the priority of the WFP.
Hunger persists for as many as 333 million people who are acutely food insecure globally in 2023 across the 78 countries with WFP operations. In 2023, an estimated 47.3 million people in 54 countries are in emergency or worse levels of food insecurity. Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, and Palestine currently have the highest alert level. These hotspots have communities facing, or projected to face, starvation or are at risk of sliding towards catastrophic conditions. For 2024, WFP plans to reach 157.3 million people with US$ 22.7 billion in operational requirements based on current funding outlooks and needs.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is the lead department for the Irish Government’s relationship with the World Food Programme, the UN’s frontline humanitarian agency. The WFP-Ireland Strategic Partnership Agreement 2022-2024 contains a commitment from Ireland to increase core funding to €75 million. This includes a €5 million per year allocation to WFP’s trust fund for hunger-related climate change; and an €8 million annual allocation to the WFP Syrian emergency response. In addition to DAFM’s core funding to WFP, Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs also provides funding to WFP for its programmes. In 2023 Department of Foreign Affairs funding to WFP was over €12.8 million. This includes support to specific countries such as Ukraine, Uganda, Vietnam, Lebanon, Lao PDR and most recently for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
FAO is a United Nations organisation mandated to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems and increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises. Further details of the partnership between Ireland and the FAO are outlined in the report FAO + Ireland: Partnering for a Peaceful, Equal and Sustainable World which is available at: FAO and Ireland celebrate collaboration and renew commitment to partnership.
Africa Agri-Food Development Programme (AADP)
The AADP is a joint initiative between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The objective of the AADP is to develop partnerships between the Irish Agri-Food Sector and African countries to support sustainable growth of the local food industry, build markets for local produce and support mutual trade between Ireland and Africa.
A Better World
This funding and the partnerships with WFP and FAO are within the framework of Ireland’s policy for international development, "A Better World”, the whole-of-government policy for Ireland’s development cooperation programme, on which DAFM works closely with Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
| International Development Assistance - DAFM 2023 | € |
| World Food Programme (WFP) | |
| 25,000,000 | |
| Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) | |
| Ireland - FAO Assessed Contribution 2023 | 1,640,733 |
| 465,000 | |
| 465,000 | |
| 428,000 | |
| 400,000 | |
| 279,000 | |
| 265,000 | |
| 247,000 | |
| 93,000 | |
| 50,000 | |
| 40,000 | |
| Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) | 40,000 |
| FAO Total | 4,412,733 |
| Africa Agri-Food Development Programme (AADP) | |
| 2023 AADP project funding | 350,000 |
| Total | 29,762,733 |