Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots, has emphasised the importance of science, as he publishes DAERA's Science Strategy Framework, which will guide and direct how the Department will utilise science over the next 15 years in delivering services.

Publishing the Framework, Minister Poots said: "Science influences most aspects of our everyday life, including food, energy, medicine, technology and infrastructure. Investment in research enriches society and helps drive our economy and plays a vital role in helping us deliver services across the whole of the Department."

The Minister continued, "Science underpins policies and strategies, which impact across all sectors, and is vital in order for us to meet challenges going forward; whether they be in food, farming, waste management, sustainability, climate change, the environment, fisheries, forestry or the development of the rural sector. All this contributes to ensuring sustainability at the heart of a living, working, active landscape valued by everyone in Northern Ireland."

Minister Poots concluded: "I have previously outlined the Executive's challenge to deliver Green Growth. To achieve this, we need to be open to adopting new technologies and innovative ways of working, to meet ambitious environmental and sustainability targets, while supporting economic growth in agriculture and agri-food industries and rural areas. By collaborating and working in partnership with others in industry, research and education, and the environment and voluntary sectors, locally, nationally and globally, I believe we can exploit emerging opportunities and ensure that DAERA's science is robust, relevant, accessible and widely used by the Department and all our stakeholders."