Today we welcome Dr. Tom O’Dwyer, Head of the Signpost programme at Teagasc (the Irish agricultural and food development authority), to Global Trends.
Dr. O'Dwyer provides a deep dive into the Signpost programme, an initiative aimed at mitigating climate change through greenhouse gas reductions. Learn about the comprehensive approach of the programme, which includes a national network of demo farms and a mobilization of advisers to train and empower farmers to work on climate change. Discover how the programme is contributing to Ireland's national climate action plan, and the mitigation measures being implemented, from breeding better animals to improving grassland management and reducing nitrogen fertilizer use.
Offering a unique perspective from a leading figure in Irish agricultural development, tune in to gain valuable insights into the future of agriculture in relation to climate change.
Get further insight into climate change and the agricultural sector here.
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John Reilly -
Francesco Cavazza -
Tom O’Dwyer -
Lisa Bellocchi
- The Signpost Programme in Ireland involves over 50 partners, including major milk and meat associations, farm organizations, government departments, and state agencies, working together to drive climate change mitigation in agriculture.
- The program focuses on leveraging research findings to make a significant difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The Signpost Programme aims to support farmers in adopting climate-friendly practices through training, education, discussion groups, publications, and media articles.
In this series
Prior to joining MIT in 1998, John Reilly spent 12 years with the Economic Research Service of USDA. He received his PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and holds a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin. Much of Dr. Reilly’s 40-year research career has focused on climate change, including agriculture and land use emissions and carbon dioxide sinks, as well as the potential effects of climate change on agriculture.
Francesco Cavazza is an agronomist and agricultural economist at Acquacampus, the research unit of the Canale Emiliano Romagnolo. After obtaining a Master’s degree in Agriculture, he carried out his PhD at the University of Bologna, focusing on the use of Decision Support System for irrigation and water management. Currently, Francesco’s work is entirely dedicated to irrigation and water management, with a focus on the development and estimation of irrigation and climate indicators, economic analysis, and nature-based solutions for water management in agriculture.
Tom O’Dwyer holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from University College Dublin, a Master’s in Business Administration and a PhD in Business Administration from the Waterford Institute of Technology. In his current role, Tom is responsible for the national development, implementation and leadership of the Signpost Programme, the goal of which is to lead and support farmers in climate action. Over his 27-year career with Teagasc, he has held a number of previous roles, including Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Regional Manager, Dairy Specialist and REPS Adviser.
Lisa Bellocchi has been a well-known personality on Italian television for 30 years, as she has hosted the news programmes of Emilia Romagna and national programmes such as «Italia Agricoltura» and «Prodotto Italia».
In September 2021, Lisa was elected President of ENAJ, the European Network of Agricultural Journalists, which brings together some 3500 specialized professionals from 27 countries. She is President of the Association of Agricultural, Agri-food and Environmental Journalists of Emilia Romagna -Marche-Umbria.
