€37.5 million in funding will be announced today (Thursday 30 April) to invest in research in agri-food, forestry and the bioeconomy.
The funding will be announced by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Haydon and Secretary of State for Research and Development Noel Grealish.
The funding will be allocated to support 30 projects research Across 19 institutes.
Key areas of focus include innovation and value addition in the food sector while addressing healthy diets; Improving water quality; Promote biodiversity; addressing climate change; Promoting animal health and welfare; and enhancing farm safety.
Commenting on the funding, Minister Haydon said: “These €37.5 million grants are an investment in the future of Ireland’s agri-food, forestry and bioeconomy sectors.
Minister Haydon added: “Cutting-edge research and innovation are essential to ensure these sectors remain competitive, resilient and sustainable in the years ahead.”
“Our farmers and food producers need access to the best possible evidence, technologies and practices.
According to the minister, the projects that will receive funding cover areas including healthy aging; Improving water quality; new methods for tracking and controlling tuberculosis; A study tests feed additives to reduce methane gas over the life of the animal.
Also commenting on the research funding, Minister Grealish said: “This €37.5 million research program brings together leading scientists, research institutions and industry partners, ensuring that the results are scientifically robust and directly applicable in real-world settings.
Minister Grealish added: “Collaboration is at the heart of this investment. I am pleased to see that the projects will include the education and training of over 90 postgraduate students and over 60 contract researchers, thus ensuring a continuous flow of highly skilled scientific talent coming into our industry.”
As part of the North-South collaboration on agri-food research and innovation, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) of Northern Ireland has collaborated on this research call and will provide €3.1 million in co-funding to enable research organizations in Northern Ireland to participate in projects with partners in Ireland.
A total of six projects will benefit from the collaboration with DAERA.
Commenting on the collaboration, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir said: “The projects being launched today reflect our shared commitment to innovative, collaborative and impactful science; science that informs policy, supports innovation, and delivers real benefits for sustainable agriculture, environmental protection and rural communities.
“DAERA is proud to co-fund this program and work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to maximize the return on public investment and build the scientific capacity needed to meet current and future priorities,” Minister Muir added.
