Tom Arnold has been appointed by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to chair the committee which will develop Ireland’s agri-food strategy to 2030.

Arnold is chair of a European Commission taskforce on rural Africa. He previously served as the Department’s chief economist and as assistant secretary general of the Department.

Minister Creed believed Arnold make an excellent chair given “his distinguished career both nationally and internationally, as well as the respect with which he is held both within and outside the sector. His familiarity and expertise in agriculture, food and economics will serve him well in this important role over the coming months.”

Role

Arnold will now oversee the successor to FoodWise 2025, the most recent in a series of rolling 10-year plans for the agri-food sector that are renewed every five years.

The make-up of the committee which he will chair will be announced in the coming weeks. The committee will then draft the strategy which is intended to be finalised by summer 2020.

Background

Arnold has a degree in agricultural economics from University College Dublin and has Masters degrees from Leuven University and Trinity College Dublin.

His previous roles include director general of the Institute of International and European Affairs, chair of the Irish Constitutional Convention and CEO of Concern Worldwide.

He has served on a number of governmental and non-governmental bodies at national, European and international level including the UN Millennium Project’s Hunger Task Force, the Irish Hunger Task Force, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, and the Irish Government’s Commission on Taxation.

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