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Teagasc – 50 Years of Research 19 February 2008 Today, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the legislation providing for the establishment of An Foras Talúntais, the Agriculture Research Institute which now forms part of Teagasc. A series of nationwide events are planned throughout the year to celebrate the achievements in agriculture and food research over the last 50 years. The establishment and development of AFT under the visionary leadership of the late Dr Tom Walsh coincided with a period of revolutionary thinking in national economic policy. Whitaker’s ‘Economic Development’ and the highly innovatory ‘First Programme for Economic Expansion’, both published in 1958, prioritised productive investment in agricultural development. Speaking in Oak Park, Carlow today, Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc said: "The research carried out, first by AFT, and more recently by Teagasc, has provided a firm scientific foundation for modern agriculture and the dynamic food industry we have in Ireland today. A great deal has been achieved over the last 50 years and this is in no small part due to the high quality people recruited into the organisation and who have worked tirelessly for the benefit of Irish agriculture." "Major milestones have been achieved in agriculture research in the past and Teagasc continues to provide the technological base enabling the industry to adapt to ongoing changes in policy. Professor Boyle continued: “Irish producers and processors must confront ever greater challenges in the global marketplace and the existence of a strong research function fully integrated with advisory and training services is an essential component of that future". Fifty years ago at the time of AFT’s establishment, over 60 per cent of the total national exports were from agriculture and production was relatively static for a considerable period. AFT put in place a national programme of agriculture research to underpin the dramatic developments in Irish agriculture, and enabled it to benefit from access to new markets. AFT initially set out to help farmers increase productivity and income, broadening its research activities over the years as the policy environment, market conditions and latterly growing consumer demands set new priorities for research. Representative advisory committees were put in place from the start to ensure that the research programmes would focus on the real problems of the industry. A productive two-way flow of information was established, bringing first-hand knowledge of problems requiring research to AFT. This speeded up the transmission and adoption of research results and this two-way flow was consolidated with the merger of AFT and ACOT to form Teagasc in 1988. The importance of developing a comprehensive science base and scientific skills were critically important and particular emphasis was put on recruiting high quality scientific and technical staff and developing national and international scientific linkages. Some research highlights of the last 50 years - - Tillage research at the Crops Research Centre Oak Park, led to productivity gains through the application of technology, tripling yields over a twenty-year period, and dramatically improving the quality of malting barley. - The successful potato breeding programme delivered new varieties such as Rooster, which is now the dominant variety in the Irish market. - Dairy research at Moorepark on milking techniques and machines led to significant improvements in milk quality at farm level. The ongoing development of grass-based dairy systems has led to substantial productivity gains and given Ireland a comparative advantage in milk production. - Work at Moorepark especially on sow nutrition, sow management and simple cereal-based diets played a major part in developing a highly efficient and competitive pig production sector in Ireland. For many years Ireland led the world in sow productivity as the industry adopted the new technology ahead of competing countries. - Revolutionary developments in grass preservation, pioneered at the Beef Research Centre Grange in the 1970s, facilitated the rapid expansion in livestock numbers on Irish farms. Research on animal breeding led to improvements in the quality of the national suckler cow herd. - The sheep breeding programme based at the research centre in Athenry developed a new highly prolific Belclare breed of sheep. - The current knowledge and understanding of the soils of Ireland was pioneered at the research centre in Johnstown Castle. - In the horticulture sector new mushroom growing techniques, developed by Teagasc, led to the creation of a new industry in rural Ireland to support farm families and rural dwellers in the harsh economic climate of the 1980s. - Economic measurements through the annual National Farm Income Survey has provided the economic data on farm incomes upon which successive Irish governments have based their policy decisions over the past 50 years. Links with the international FAPRI organisation led to the development of an economic model that is used by Irish and international policy makers. - Food research at the Moorepark and Ashtown facilities has helped the industry address issues of quality and safety in relation to cheese, milk powders, and meat, while providing primary research to support the development of new initiatives such as spreadable butter, Leerdammer cheese, and most recently with the emergence of new functional foods products. The food centres have played a successful supporting role for small embryonic Irish food companies.
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Teagasc – 50 Bliain de Thaighde 19 Feabhra 2008 Inniu, an Mháirt, 19 Feabhra 2008, tá sé 50 bliain ó ritheadh an reachtaíocht chun An Foras Talúntais a chur ar bun, an Institiúid Taighde um Thamhlaíocht atá anois mar chuid de Teagasc. Tá sraith d'ócáidí beartaithe ar bhonn náisiúnta ar fud na bliana chun a bhfuil bainte amach i dtaighde tamhlaíochta agus bia le 50 bliain anuas a cheiliúradh. Tharla bunú agus forbairt an AFT faoi cheannaireacht fhadradharcach Dr Tom Walsh nach maireann ag an am chéanna le ré den smaointeoireacht réabhlóideach maidir le polasaí náisiúnta na heacnamaíochta. Rinne ‘Economic Development’ le Whitaker agus ‘First Programme for Economic Expansion’, a bhí iontach nuálach ar fad, agus ar foilsíodh iad beirt i 1958, rinne siad príoracht d’infheistíocht thairbheach i bhforbairt na tamhlaíochta. Dúirt An tOllamh Gerry Boyle, Stiúrthóir Teagasc, inniu agus é ag caint i bPáirc na Darach i gCeatharlach: “Mar gheall ar an taighde ar tugadh faoi, ar dtús ag AFT, agus níos déanaí ag Teagasc, tá bonn daingean eolaíochta ann anois maidir le tamhlaíocht na haimsire seo agus an tionscal dinimiciúil bia atá againn in Éirinn sa lá atá inniu ann. Baineadh cuid mhór amach le 50 bliain anuas agus tá baint mhór aige seo le caighdeán ard na ndaoine a earcaíodh isteach san eagraíocht agus na daoine sin a d’oibrigh ó dhubh go dubh le leas thamhlaíocht na hÉireann." “Baineadh garspriocanna móra amach i dtaighde na tamhlaíochta san am a chuaigh thart agus sa lá atá inniu ann leanann Teagasc den bhonn sin teicneolaíochta a sholáthar a éascaíonn don tionscal dul in oiriúint leis na hathruithe a bhíonn de shíor ag athrú i gcúrsaí polasaí. Lean an tOllamh Boyle ar aghaidh: “Ní mór do lucht táirgthe agus próiseála na hÉireann dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin mhóra in áit mhargaidh an domhain agus is cuid riachtanach den todhchaí sin an dóigh a bhfuil feidhm láidir thaighde ann atá go hiomlán comhtháite le seirbhísí comhairliúcháin agus oiliúna.” Caoga bliain ó shin nuair a bunaíodh AFT, bhí níos mó ná 60% d'onnmhairí iomlán náisiúnta ón tamhlaíocht agus bhí táirgeadh ina stad don chuid is mó ar feadh tréimhse réasúnta. Chuir AFT i bhfeidhm clár náisiúnta de thaighde tamhlaíochta chun tacú le forbairtí tábhachtacha i dtamhlaíocht na hÉireann, agus d’eascaigh sé dó tairbhe a bhaint as rochtain a fháil ar mhargaí nua. Ar dtús, chuir AFT roimhe cuidiú a thabhairt d’fheirmeoirí táirgiúlacht agus ioncam a mhéadú, ag leathnú na ngíomhaíochtaí taighde a bhí aige i rith na mblianta de réir mar a leagadh amach príorachtaí nua le haghaidh taighde mar gheall ar thimpeallacht polasaithe, dhálaí margaidh agus ar éilimh na dtomhaltóirí a d’fhás níos moille. Cuireadh coistí comhairleacha ionadacha ar bun ón tús lena chinntiú go ndíreofaí na cláir thaighde ar na fhadbanna móra a bhí roimh an tionscal. Bunaíodh dé-shruth tairbheach d’eolais, ag soláthar eolais don AFT bunaithe ar thaithí pearsanta ar fhadhbanna a raibh taighde de dhíth ina leith. Chuir sé seo luas leis an tarchur agus le glacadh le torthaí taighde agus daingníodh an déshruth seo nuair a tháinig AFT agus ACOT le chéile chun Teagasc a bhunú i 1988. Bhí rí-thábhacht le bonn cuimsitheach eolaíochta agus scileanna eolaíochta a fhorbairt agus cuireadh béim faoi leith ar fhoireann eolaíochta agus teicneolaíochta d’ardchaighdeán a earcú agus nascálacha náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a fhorbairt. I measc na mbuaicphointí taighde le 50 bliain tá - - Mar gheall ar thaighde curaíochta san Ionad Taighde um Barraí i bPáirc na Darach, cuireadh le táirgiúlacht trí theicneolaíocht a chur i bhfeidhm, ag méadú fáltais faoi thrí thar thréimhse fiche bliain, agus ag cur go mór le caighdeán eorna braiche. - Mar gheall ar an chlár giniúna prátaí bhí eagsúlachtaí nua ann ar nós Rooster, arb í an éasgúlacht is nó i margadh na hÉireann anois í. - Mar gheall ar thaighde déiríochta ar theicníochtaí crúite agus ar innill bhí feabhsúcháin shuntasacha ar chaighdeán bainne ag leibhéal feirme. Mar gheall ar fhorbairt leantach coráis dhéiríochta bunaithe ar fhéar cuireadh go mór le táirgiúlacht agus, dá bhrí sin, bhí buntáiste ar leith ag Éirinn agus bainne á sholáthar. - Bhí ról lárnach ag obair a rinneadh i bPáirc Uí Mhordha in earnáil táirgthe muc atá iontach éifeachtach agus iomaíoch a fhorbairt in Éirinn, go háirithe an obair a rinneadh ar chothú cránach, bainistíocht cránach agus chothú simplí bunaithe ar árbhar. Le blianta beaga anuas bhí Éire chun tosaigh sa domhan i dtáirgiúlacht cránach de réir mar a ghlac an tionscal le teicneolaíocht nua roimh thíorthaí a bhí san iomaíocht. - D’éascaigh forbairtí réabhlóideacha i gcaomhnú féarach, ar cuireadh tús leo san Ionad Taighde Mairteola, Gráinse, sna 1970í, fairsingiú geasta an bheostoic ar fheirmeacha na hÉireann. Mar gheall ar thaighde a rinne ar phórú ainmhithe cuireadh feabhas ar chaighdeán na bólachta náisiúnta diúil. - Mar gheall ar chlár póraithe na gcaorach atá bunaithe san ionad taighde i mBaile Átha an Rí, forbraíodh pór nua torthúil caorach, Belclare. - Rinneadh ceannródaíócht ar an eolas agus an tuiscint ar ithreacha na hÉireann san ionad taighde i gCaisleán Bhaile Sheáin. - In earnáil na gairneoireachta, mar gheall ar mhodhanna nua fáis beacán, ar fhorbair Teagasc iad, cruthaíodh tionscal nua faoi tuath in Éirinn chun tacaíocht a thabhairt le teaghlaigh ar fheirmeacha agus daoine a chónaíonn faoin tuath agus é crua leo in earáid dhoiligh eacnamaíochta na 1980í - Mar gheall ar thomhais eacnamaíochta a rinneadh tríd an Suirbhé Náisiúnta faoi Ioncam Feirme cuireadh ar fáil sonraí eacnamaíocht ar ioncaim fheirmeacha ar ar bhunaigh rialtais na hÉireann a gcinntí polasaithe le 50 bliain anuas. Mar gheall ar naisc leis an eagraíocht idirnáisiúnta FAPRI forbraíodh samhail eacnamaíoch a mbaineann lucht déanta polasaithe in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta úsáid aisti. - Chuidigh taighde bia sna háiseanna i bPáirc Uí Mhordha agus i mBaile an Ásaigh go mór leis an tionscal tabhairt faoi cheisteanna caighdeáin agus sábháilteacht maidir le cáis, púdáir bhainne, agus feoil, ach ag an am chéanna chuir sé ar fáil buntaighde chun tacú le forbairt nuálaíochtaí nua ar nós im inspréite, cáis Leerdammer, agus ar a dhéanaí le forbairt ábhar nua bia atá feidhmeach. Bhí ról faoi leith tacaíochta ag ionaid bhia le haghaidh comhlachtaí beaga suthacha bia.