The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is calling on the Government to ensure the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss are fast-tracked for action. Speaking to Northern Sound, the organisation's campaigns officer, Pádraic Fogarty says it's imperative to move from making recommendations to implementing the findings.
He pointed out that even though water quality is "poor" in Co Monaghan, farming and nature can work in tandem with each other. Mr Fogarty highlighted the need for farmers to be rewarded for their efforts in food production, improving water quality, and with nature.
He added there is a need to move away from the notion that there is a choice between farming and nature because it's possible to have both. "I know that Monaghan is suffering with terrible water quality issues that is mostly coming from agricultural waste that is not being managed properly even though we have commitments in place to ensure that our water quality is good.
"This is usually pitted against agriculture but we need to move away from this idea that we must chose between farming and nature. We absolutely can have both but we can't have the volume of farming or the type of farming that we have today.
"What we need to work towards, is a different system of farming that rewards farmers for food production, improving water quality and protecting nature," Mr Fogarty said.
