The Signpost Programme - Irish Farmers for Climate Action

Summary in the original language of the document

In this video, Tom O'Dwyer, presents the Signpost programme, initiated in 2021 by Teagasc. The Signpost Programme aims to address the challenges Irish farmers face in responding to climate change. There is an urgent need for action, because over 38% of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions are coming from agriculture, and the sector has a policy requirement to reduce its annual GHG emissions by 25% by 2030. The programme involves collaboration with over 60 Agri-Food organizations. Over 120 demonstration farms have been selected across the country to showcase and promote climate friendly practices. The set-up of the Irish Signpost Programme is very similar to the Climate Farm Demo project, with demonstration farmers at the core of both.
After two years, each farmer has been assessed twice, and plans are in place to reduce emissions on their farms. A 12-step programme has been implemented, starting with easier actions and progressing to more challenging ones. Organizing demo events around greenhouse gas reduction has been challenging. The approach has been therefore adjusted. For example, first to focus on milk production techniques, and then integrating emission reduction measures in a second step.