In the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) committed to forming an Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) coordination group to improve synergies and complementarities between the institutions that make up Ireland’s AKIS. The goal of the coordination group is to structure and mobilise AKIS actors together on a planned and regular basis. Creating consistent engagement will support and speed up modernisation, innovation and knowledge flows, to ensure improved knowledge exchange and implementation in practice.
A steering group, chaired by DAFM, was set up with Teagasc, Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) and CAP Network Ireland as participants. This open Steering Group has since expanded to include farming organisations, industry representatives and environmental groups, all on a voluntary basis, as an extension to their membership of the Coordination Group.
Invitations to participate in the AKIS Coordination Group were issued by DAFM in November 2023. All actors in the Irish AKIS were invited to join the group, including representatives from the research sector, farm bodies, industry, education, Government bodies and agencies, NGOs and national and local media. Membership to the group remains open.
The inaugural meeting of the group was held in December 2023. The first meeting set out the draft terms of reference, gave participants an overview of the current Irish AKIS, and introduced the participants to the purpose of and legal basis for the group. This introductory session was followed by a workshop to assess priorities of the participants, as well as to begin a new map of the actors in the Irish AKIS. Discussion focused on possible missing elements, or gaps in current knowledge transfer pathways, as well as what role the Coordination Group could play to provide solutions.
In September 2024, the AKIS Coordination Group met for the second time. The second meeting reviewed the outputs of activities to date, and outlined the draft work programme for the group, based on the feedback of the members at the first session. A draft map of the actors in the Irish AKIS was presented by CAP Network Ireland, who performed this synthesis following consultation with the group.
Preliminary results of a survey prepared by CAP Network Ireland on an analysis of famers needs were presented. This was followed by a workshop session on Irish AKIS development, developing and enhancing flow paths of knowledge and information. Feedback on the draft work plan and AKIS map was invited from members of the group.
The most recent meeting of the AKIS Coordination Group took place in the Ag Tech Hub, UCD Innovation Centre at Lyons Farm in January 2025. The theme of the day was AgTech and Agri-Digitalisation. Guest speakers on the day included Jonathan Herron and Avion Phillips from Teagasc, Catherine Dempsey from DAFM, Kevin Doolin from the Walton Institute, Alastair Prior from the EU CAP Network and Róisín Fitzgerald from CAP Network Ireland. A panel discussion with Kieran O’Donoghue (Agri Tech Ireland Cluster) and Gary Ryan (AgTech UCD) was moderated by Patrick Barrett (DAFM).
Regular meetings of the Steering Group continue, and it is intended to schedule the next meeting of the Coordination Group for June 2025. If you wish to become a please contact CAPStrategicPlan@agriculture.gov.ie.
