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€17.8 million awarded to new European Innovation Partnership projects on the theme of environmental sustainability

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has today announced that funding of €17.8 million has been allocated to eleven new projects under the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) measure of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

Minister Heydon said:

“The eleven new projects receiving funding today clearly show the importance of the EIP Programme in driving innovation at farm level, and in trialling and upscaling environmentally sustainable solutions to challenges faced by farmers. They include the provision to dairy, beef, sheep and tillage farmers of tailored strategies to facilitate their transition to regenerative agriculture, the promotion of regenerative agriculture practices to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity and improve the resilience of Irish farming systems, and a project dedicated to transforming nutrient management within Ireland’s tillage sector.”

EIPs are locally-led, collaborative projects which involve farmers trialling actions on farms to ensure practical outcomes and learnings that can easily be upscaled and shared.

The Minister continued:

“The eleven projects selected address the theme of environmental sustainability in the farming sector, and will run for periods of between four and five years. Covering a broad range of topics and displaying a wide geographical spread, these projects are a clear demonstration of the willingness among farmers and the wider community to co-operate in dealing with environmental challenges on farms at a local level. I look forward to engaging on these projects as they proceed over the coming years, and to seeing how they will help to inform future policy development and to address key departmental priorities in the areas of soil health, regenerative and sustainable agriculture, organic farming, and the circular and bioeconomy.”

Notes for editors

The European Innovative Partnerships (EIP) initiative is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will fund payments to farmers as well as for Operational Group administrative costs. These projects will run for periods of between four and five years.

The EIP initiative involves a range of stakeholders coming together to trial innovative solutions aimed at addressing challenges on Irish farms. The projects are locally led and implemented by collaborative Operational Groups, involving farmers, scientists, ecologists and other experts, to deliver on specific goals.

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.

Following an evaluation process conducted by an expert committee with reference to approved selection criteria, the following projects were approved to proceed to full implementation:

Operational Group/ Lead Applicant

Title of Project

Objectives

Funding amount allocated

Regen Ireland

Regen Ireland

This project will provide dairy, beef, sheep and tillage farmers across the country with structured guidance, technical expertise and financial sustainability strategies to facilitate their transition to regenerative agriculture.

€1,756,600

Teagasc - Martin Bourke

OTV IWM (Organic, Tillage and Vegetables Integrated Weed Management)

This project will trial and promote the adoption of innovative mechanical and thermal weed control technology on organic farms.

€1,562,461

Karst Farming Network

Regenerating the Rocks

This project aims to connect old and new farming technologies to conserve the unique species-rich karst grassland of County Roscommon through a results-based programme for farmers combined with community outreach.

€1,600,000

SCEENE / Loop Head Together CLG

Soil Carbon Enhancement for Excess Nutriment

This project will demonstrate the feasibility of an eco-sustainable community circular system, based in action research, which integrates biochar from animal waste, and lignin-rich, carbon sequestering crops to restore local catchments and soil health in coastal farming regions of Ireland.

€1,750,000

Organic Beef and Lamb Innovation Group/IFAC

Coordinating for Sustainability: Strengthening the Organic Beef and Lamb Supply Chain in Ireland

The objectives of this project are to reduce leakage from organic to conventional supply chains in the organic beef and lamb sectors, enhance producer collaboration and address distribution challenges.

€1,444,000

South West Mayo Development Company

FARM-Up Farming And Restoration Management for Uplands

This project, based in counties Mayo and Donegal, aims to develop, demonstrate and then replicate management and restoration actions in a commonage context, given the importance of blanket bog and associated habitats in national obligations.

€1,749,481

Teagasc - Ciaran Collins

Soilcycle

This project is dedicated to transforming nutrient management within Ireland’s tillage sector by advocating for the strategic in-crop application of organic manures. By integrating principles of the circular economy the project enhances soil health, optimises nutrient efficiency, reduces reliance on chemical fertilisers and mitigates nitrogen losses to water bodies.

€1,285,624

Upper Erne Slurry Solution OG

Upper Erne Separate Our Slurry, Save Our Soil EIP

The project aims to address critical challenges associated with slurry management in the Erne Catchment area.

€1,669,259

Base Ireland

Restoring Soil Health and Enhancing Biodiversity through Regenerative Agricultural Practices

This project seeks to implement, evaluate and promote regenerative agriculture practices to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity and improve the resilience of Irish farming systems.

€1,447,207

Environmental Sustainability in Agriculture (GRI)

Farm Carbon Transitions EIP

The project aims to produce Full Farm Transition Strategies in which the main measures proposed will be carbon farming practices, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) including paludiculture and active habitat management measures applied through a holistic ‘full farm’ approach on extensive farms.

€1,749,324

Hometree CLG

The Iveragh Woodlands EIP

This project is an agri-environmental initiative taking a holistic approach to the restoration, sustainable management and conservation of native woodland habitats on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry.

€1,764,696
   

TOTAL

€17,778,652

Further information on the European Innovation Partnership initiative may be found on the Department’s website at gov.ie - European Innovation Partnership Scheme (www.gov.ie).