Irish practices appear to be at odds with policy
- 3 min read
- Published: 28th August 2024
Noteworthy investigation: The impact of Irish milk powder exports on west Africa
Oxfam Ireland calls on Irish Government to conduct urgent analysis of the impact of Irish milk powder exports on west Africa
Reacting to the publication today of a Noteworthy investigation into the effect of Ireland’s export of fat-filled milk powder to Nigeria, CEO of Oxfam Ireland Jim Clarken said, "The investigation by Noteworthy alongside Nigerian news outlet Premium Times raises serious questions for Ireland’s international trade policy and in particular our relations with Africa."
We welcome the research published today, which was part-funded by Oxfam Ireland.
The article provides worrying insights into the effects of Irish dairy exports on the local markets in West Africa. The report describes a situation where west African farmers are being forced out of business by cheaper EU imports.
The report also outlines the addition of vegetable oil, usually palm oil, to the milk powder. Palm oil has been linked to deforestation and biodiversity loss around the world. We need to understand the interplay between Irish products and climate breakdown in Africa and globally.
All of this would appear to be at odds with stated Irish government policy in relation to Africa.
Two of the 6 strategic objectives in Ireland’s Strategy for Africa to 2025 are mutually beneficial trade and investment” and working with Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
"The Africa Agri-Food Development Programme run jointly between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Foreign Affairs states that it enables Ireland’s agri-food sector to contribute to the shared Sustainable Development Goals that aim to tackle poverty and hunger, fight inequality and make real and sustainable changes that better the lives of the world's most vulnerable communities."
"Earlier this month the Tánaiste charged the Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee which with maximising our collective effort to scale up the necessary solutions to food and nutrition insecurity in Africa".
Ireland needs to be sure that Irish practices are doing no harm to African rural development and food systems. We in Oxfam Ireland will be writing to the Ministers for Agriculture and Foreign Affairs and to the Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee to ask that an independent ‘spillover analysis’ of the impact of Ireland’s policies and Irish-based food and agriculture industries on the global south be conducted as a matter of urgency. This analysis should encompass effects on trade, employment, nutrition, the environment, and human rights.
EU and Irish trade policy and practice must be transformed to be fully compliant with legally binding human rights and environmental obligations. Only then can we know for certain that Ireland is improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable communities in both words and deeds.
ENDS
For more information, contact:
Clare Cronin, Head of Communications – Oxfam Ireland
clare.cronin@oxfam.org
+353 87 1952551
Kate Brayden, Media Officer – Oxfam Ireland
kate.brayden@oxfam.org
+353 877 497447
Note to editors:
Noteworthy is the crowdfunded investigative journalism platform from The Journal. This investigation was part-funded by their readers. The remainder was funded through support from Oxfam Ireland. The investigation is fully editorially independent as outlined in the Fairness Policy.
