Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for research and innovation, Martin Heydon, has announced the establishment of a new pilot agri-research initiative.
The ‘Policy and Strategic Studies Research Call’, or PSSRC, will support research that expands the evidence base for the department, informing and supporting the development of policies across the agri-food, forest, and biobased sectors.
In tandem with announcing the establishment of the PSSRC, Minister Heydon also announced the launch of the first research call under this new initiative and he invited all eligible Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) to submit research proposals aligned to the topics specified in the call.
Minister Heydon said about the new agri-research initiative, “I am delighted to announce this new pilot research initiative and to see the immediate launch of the first Policy and Strategic Studies Research Call on 14 September 2022. Sound science is at the heart of everything we do and research is essential for providing the evidence and knowledge base for the development of policies and schemes and services, of benefit to the agri-food, forestry and bioeconomy sectors. The twenty topics in this Call have been identified by my department to address immediate strategic policy needs. They range from climate, pesticides and forestry to animal health and welfare, the bioeconomy, and women in farming.”
Continuing, the Minister said, “the Programme for Government and Food Vision 2030 highlight the need for support and investment in research. This new initiative will mean that we can be more agile in how we fund research, particularly for more urgent issues facing the department and the wider agri-food sector. I strongly encourage Irish researchers to examine the broad range of topics in this Call and to submit relevant proposals.”
