Ministers announce fund of €17.5 million for open call for EIP projects under the general theme of Environmental Sustainability
- Published on: 5 November 2024
- Last updated on: 16 April 2025
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, today announced an open call for European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects under the general theme of Environmental Sustainability.
Minister Hackett said:
"I am delighted to announce this fund of €17.5 million on calls for European Innovation Partnership projects, with an overarching theme of environmental sustainability. We want to see innovative proposals to address some of the main environmental challenges currently being faced on Irish farms. Soil health, short supply chains and regenerative agriculture are among the areas in which we are encouraging proposals, and my hope is that the successful projects will deliver learnings and approaches that can be rolled out at scale in future agri-environmental schemes."
Commenting on the launch of the call, Minister McConalogue, said:
“EIP projects have established an impressive track record already in Ireland, and I welcome this latest call as an opportunity for new operational groups, involving farmers and other stakeholders, to try out new ideas for advancing environmental sustainability on Irish farms. My Department is committed to supporting innovation in this area, and will continue to provide support for environmental sustainability through a suite of schemes that includes ACRES, Organic Farming, Areas of Natural Constraints, the Eco-Scheme and TAMS, among others.”
Under this current call - the sixth under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 - interested parties are invited to submit proposals for projects to address a range of topics under the broad heading of Environmental Sustainability, to include the following:
• Innovative approaches in farming to address (but not limited to):
o Climate mitigation and climate adaptation at farm level.
o Farming in Coastal areas.
o Farming within the organic and horticulture sectors.
• Food sustainability, security and the role of short supply chains.
• Regenerative agriculture.
• Protecting and restoring our soils and their sustainable use.
• Sustainable farming systems for intensive agriculture at local and landscape levels.
• Innovative approaches within the bio / circular economy at a locally-led level.
In conclusion, Minister Hackett said:
"The EIP model to date has shown how the bottom-up approach to innovation on Irish farms can and does work. At this decisive moment in time for policy development in environmental sustainability to support truly resilient farming systems, I am very excited to see the ideas that emerge from this latest call."
ENDS
Notes for Editors
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant. EU countries implement the CAP at national level with a tailored CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
The EIP initiative is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP). The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will fund payments to farmers as well as the Operational Groups’ administrative costs.
The EIP initiative involves a range of stakeholders (farmers, advisors, researchers, NGOs) coming together in what are termed ‘Operational Groups’ to trial innovative solutions that the Groups themselves have developed.
There are currently two flagship EIP projects under the CSP, namely, the Water EIP and the Breeding Waders EIP.
To date, there have been four other calls in 2024 under which EIP projects are currently being developed, on the following themes:
• Animal Health and Welfare, including the rearing of pigs with intact tails
• Gender Balance in Farming in Ireland
• Promoting Generational Renewal on Irish Farms and
• Fostering the Use of Digital Technologies on Irish Farms
Call 6 will focus on the general theme of Environmental Sustainability in farming. Each of the selected projects will be funded for a period of between three and five years, with a maximum budget allocation of €1,750,000 per project.
The broad theme of Environmental Sustainability will include the following:
• Innovative approaches in farming to address (but not limited to):
o Climate mitigation and climate adaptation at farm level.
o Farming in Coastal areas.
o Farming within the organic and horticulture sectors.
• Food sustainability, security and the role of short supply chains.
• Regenerative Agriculture.
• Protecting and restoring our soils and their sustainable use.
• Sustainable farming systems for intensive agriculture at local and landscape levels.
• Innovative approaches within the bio / circular economy at a locally-led level.
Further information on the European Innovation Partnership initiative and the guidelines for Call 6 -Environmental Sustainability, can be accessed on the Department’s website, at gov.ie - European Innovation Partnership Scheme.
The closing date for Expressions of Interest under this Call is 5pm on Tuesday 10th December 2024.