Following on from the landmark Breeding Waders and Water Quality European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects, Minister of State Pippa Hackett has announced further plans for European Innovation Partnership projects across the themes of Animal Health and Welfare, and Gender Balance in Farming in Ireland.
Minister Hackett said “I am delighted to announce the call for the next round of projects under the European Innovation Partnerships. This latest round of projects will cover Animal Health and Welfare, and Gender Balance in Farming in Ireland, two policy areas that are hugely important and that are rightly gaining increasing awareness in our sector. EIPs have proven over the last number of years to be a great way to bring farmers and other stakeholders together, backed up with financial and administrative support, to develop new and innovative ways to tackle the many existing and emerging challenges faced by the agriculture sector.”
“The ongoing commitment of my Department to EIP projects highlights the value they bring in demonstrating how new and innovative ways of farming can be trialled, developed and then mainstreamed into agri-environmental schemes, such as ACRES. I look forward to a continuation of this positive engagement between farmers and the relevant stakeholders in this round of projects, and indeed to a call later this year for a further round of EIP proposals. The call later in the year will focus on environmental themes such as soil health and climate mitigation, following on from the great success of the biodiversity EIPs under the Rural Development Programme and the recent launch of the Water Quality EIP.
“The two calls announced today are designed using a two-phase process, whereby Expressions of Interest are first being sought from potential Operational Groups, with those who present the most potential then being invited to submit more detailed proposals. The role of the Operational Group is key here in bringing together a variety of actors that can collectively, and in a very interactive way, enhance innovation through a locally-led approach to addressing some of the challenges facing Irish agriculture today,” continued Hackett.
Commenting on the launch of the call, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, said “My Department is investing significantly in European Innovation Partnerships as part of the CAP Strategic Plan. This approach has proven successful in the past across a wide variety of projects, and I’ve no doubt that the same success will be achieved by this latest call, which will cover the areas of Animal Health and Welfare, and Gender Balance in Farming in Ireland.”
(Source: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
