Funding of €2.85 million has been awarded to five new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects under the themes of Generational Renewal and Digital Technology.
Three projects have been selected under the theme of Generational Renewal, while two projects have been selected under the theme of Promoting the use of Digital Technologies on Farms.
Generational Renewal
EIP Land Mobility Share Farming – The Land Mobility Service with Succession Ireland, Teagasc, Lakeland Dairies, Macra and others have been awarded €301,300 for their project; Using Share Farming to Facilitate Generational Renewal. This project proposes to use and demonstrate Share Farming as an effective Generational Renewal tool and will address three key objectives of the CAP Strategic Plan; farm family income, food production recognition, and support for climate ambitions.
Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council (SAAC) – Lead Applicant Billy Goodburn ICOS with Teagasc, Aurivo, Dairygold and others will receive €600,000 for their project: Renewal in Agriculture through Intergenerational Support & Empowerment (RAISE). The RAISE project aims to stimulate sustainable generational renewal in Irish agriculture by addressing the needs of both young and aging farmers through the promotion of collaborative partnerships, mentorship, and skill development. RAISE seeks to overcome barriers to land access for young farmers while providing aging farmers with financial security and a legacy pathway. Through comprehensive training, a digital support platform, and a strong advisory network, the project will strengthen Ireland’s agricultural community and prepare it for a sustainable farming future.
Ballyhoura Generational Renewal EIP – Ballyhoura Development with Teagasc, Dairygold, farm organisations, Cork and Limerick County Councils and others have been awarded €650,000 for their project; Farm Forward: Connecting Generations and Farming for the Future. The aim of the project is to facilitate generational renewal on farms, by designing and implementing innovative, farmer led, actions, that enable (i) new entrants and developing farmers to improve their competitiveness, sustainability and resilience and (ii) exiting farmers to improve their overall quality of life, familial relationships, land custodianship heritage and active citizenship and economic security.
Digital Technologies on Farms
Oviflock – Lead applicant Eamon Wall Sheep Ireland with Teagasc, IFA and others have been awarded €650,000 for their OviFlock Foundations for genetic improvement in Irish Hill sheep project. The project aims to kick-start sheep breed improvement in Ireland’s hill sheep breeds by using novel and cutting-edge digital tools over a 5-year timeframe. Hill sheep breed improvement (genetic improvement) is not possible in Ireland at present due to an absence of routine parentage recording on our purebred hill sheep population (the source of breeding rams for all Irish hill sheep farmers annually).
PARASCOPE -Lead Applicant Nicola Walshe University College Dublin, with Animal Health Ireland and Teagasc received €648,287 for their project; The Parasite Risk Assessment for Sustainable Co-designed On-farm Practices and Evaluation (PARASCOPE). The Parasite Risk Assessment for Sustainable Co-designed On-farm Practices and Evaluation (PARASCOPE) project aims to bring innovative technologies into parasite control programmes, improving animal health and welfare, boosting productivity and enhancing biodiversity. This project is a combination of two applications at Phase 1 stage and will now address parasite control in both bovines and ovines, through a multi-disciplinary team approach.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has wished all of the Operational Groups every success with the rollout of these projects, and looked forward to further engagement and updates as the projects progress.
To learn more about EIP-Agri, click here.
