Goal 5: Develop the Rural Economy

Dúnta10 Mei, 2015, 1:00am - 2 Iúil, 2015, 1:00am

Beyond Kilkenny City, much of Co. Kilkenny is deeply rural in nature. This goal is designed to ensure that a balance is struck between the development needs of the economy of the City and that of the remainder of the county. The goal particularly references the framework of Economic Action Area 2: Promoting economic development through general local authority powers and functions, and Economic Action Area 6: Specific action to promote increased economic activity in line with regional priorities.

Indicative Actions

  • Provide for the implementation of Rural Economic Development Zones (Rural Town Development Strategies for the larger towns outside of Kilkenny City, namely Callan, Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown). These zones must allow for the innovative integration of both Physical (Spatial) and Community Planning;
     
  • With respect to the development of the rural economy, opportunities focussing on the Agri-Food Sector and Bio-Economy Sectors should be targeted. The development of these sectors in particular, and the development of the rural economy in general will be explored further in the preparation of the Local Development Strategy for the LEADER Programme; and
     
  • The Agricultural Sector will continue to innovate. Much of this innovation will result in increased efficiencies achieved through reduced manpower costs. Actions will be supported that address these changes in a way that enables farm families, and rurally-based individuals to develop businesses appropriate to rural locations.

Background Profile

Farming and farm related industries are of major importance to the economies of both Counties Waterford and Kilkenny and there is a strong tradition of progressive farming in the region. The average farm size of 44.7ha is the largest of any region in the country and the standard output per farm as measured by the CSO is almost double the national average.

The region has an ideal climate and soil type for growing grass and grazing enterprises predominate. Dairying is the dominant enterprise in the region from an economic point of view although only one third of farms have a dairy enterprise.  There is a cattle farming enterprise on almost all farms in the region.  Ten per cent of the agricultural area used is devoted to crops.

There are also major food processing plants in the region, including Glanbia, Dawn Meats, ABP Foods, and Flahavans (Waterford).

The National Field Vegetable Census 2009[1] confirmed that Kilkenny was a significant county for field vegetable production.  There were 151.2 hectares of field vegetables in Co. Kilkenny in 2008.  This represented 3 percent of the national production area.  However, Dublin Region was also the only one of the main field vegetable producing counties to have increased production area during the intercensal period 2005-2009.

At national level, the Agri-Food sector is one of Ireland’s most important, employing in the region of 50,000 people directly, as well as providing the primary outlet for the produce of 128,000 family farms.

The major companies operating in the agri-food sector within Co. Kilkenny include Glanbia plc and Connolly’s Redmills, complemented by an emerging artisan food producer base of approximately 40 micro- and medium-sized food producers[2].

Glanbia plc has their Global Nutritionals Headquarters and the Group's main innovation centre located in Kilkenny.

Expansion plans are also in place for beef production under Food Harvest 2020, with a current national output value of €1.9 billion, and with national targets for a 20 percent expansion in output value by 2020.

In order that the above growth targets are to be met, world-class environmental performance will be required across all dimensions of the agri-food sector, from the farm to the factory and on to the customer and consumer.  International buyers in the agri-food sector also require evidence of good environmental performance on the farm, as a contractual requirement.  This will continue to drive the range of world-class quality assurance schemes that the sector has been developing.

 

 

 

[1] Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, and Bord Bía

[2] Kilkenny Local Enterprise Office