Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has unveiled a significant funding injection of €2 million towards the establishment of new European research collaborations focused on agroecology, animal health, and welfare. This funding forms part of the Horizon Europe Research Programme and will facilitate the creation of a series of individual partnerships aimed at enhancing research and innovation funding within the fields of agriculture, forestry, and rural development. The Department highlighted that these partnerships will foster greater collaboration to tackle both national and European priorities by combining expertise and resources, while also leveraging additional investments from both public and private sectors.
A call for research proposals is now open to eligible Irish research institutions to participate in international research consortia. The Department is actively encouraging the involvement of non-profit organizations, consumers, citizens, civil society representatives, and private companies in line with funding regulations. This marks the first research call supported by the Department under the European Partnership Programme of Horizon Europe. The announcement of the call coincided with the official launch event of the Partnerships for Agroecology and Animal Health and Welfare, which recently took place in Brussels.
The inaugural research partnership, titled ‘Fostering agroecology at farm and landscape level’, was met with enthusiasm. Minister Heydon, who oversees research and development in the Department, emphasized the importance of engaging farmers in research activities to drive the development of innovative solutions and technologies that support sustainable agricultural practices. He underscored the critical nature of ensuring the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of agricultural systems. Minister Heydon expressed his optimism, stating that the launch of these Horizon Europe Partnerships signifies a pivotal moment in advancing towards a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive agricultural sector in Europe. By consolidating resources, expertise, and knowledge, he believes that agriculture can effectively address the complex challenges it faces, paving the way for a prosperous future.
The Department has provided comprehensive information on the scope of the call, application guidelines, eligibility criteria, and available funding through its dedicated research portal.
