04 March 2025
Boosting Biodiversity: The FarmBioNet Project Kicks-off
The FarmBioNet Project, uniting 33 partners from 13 countries kicked off in Dublin recently. This EU-funded initiative champions biodiversity-friendly farming while ensuring agricultural productivity. Claudia Barry, Meritxell Grau and Saorla Kavanagh tell us more.
The Farmer-Focused Biodiversity and Agricultural Knowledge Network (FarmBioNet) Project held its kick-off meeting on February 11th at the RDS, Dublin. Led by Teagasc, the project is funded by the European Union under the €93.5 billion Horizon Europe Programme for Research and Innovation.
The project aims to identify and promote biodiversity-friendly farming practices which help create habitats that provide food, safety and shelter for biodiversity. FarmBioNet will establish Farming and Biodiversity National Networks, bringing together farmers, foresters, NGOs, advisors and other key Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) actors.
Kick-off Meeting Highlights
Teagasc Coordinator Dr Saorla Kavanagh, welcomed 33 partners, from 13 countries. The day commenced with an icebreaker activity and introductions, allowing attendees to share their backgrounds and organisational affiliations.
The event featured presentations from members of the European Commission, outlining EU policies and emphasising communication tools and platforms for effective knowledge transfer. Additionally, an overview of the project’s tasks, deliverables and milestones was provided. The meeting concluded with Dr Saorla Kavanagh outlining the project’s objectives going forward.
Farm Visit in County Kildare
Full consortium joined by Teagasc Director Prof Frank O’Mara, host farmers Kim and Mireille McCall and farmer Andrew Bergin.
The second day of the kick-off meeting featured a farm walk on the McCalls Farm in Calverstown, County Kildare. The historical farm, dating back to 1290, is managed holistically, fostering natural interactions between plants, soils and animal within a productive farm and forestry enterprise. The consortium were welcomed to the farm by Teagasc Director, Professor Frank O’Mara, who emphasised the crucial role of biodiversity-friendly farming in sustaining agricultural productivity, food security and essential ecosystem services.
Looking Ahead
The three-year FarmBioNet project aims to help farmers assess their farm’s biodiversity and implement low-cost, practical actions to enhance biodiversity without negatively impacting production. The project will use a multi-actor approach to determine best practices.
More information about the FarmBioNet project and sign up to the biannual newsletter.
FarmBioNet project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme under project No. 101082102. Associated country partners are funded by SERI.
Project partners: AGRIDEA, University Forestry, Ekoloski Institut ECOLOGICA, Institute of Landscape Ecology Slovakia, STUDIA, Tenuta di Paganico Societa Agricolaspa, Gozdarski Institut Slovenije, Bio Austria, SuskeConsulting, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Universita degli Studi di Frienze, Asociacion Agraria Jovenes Agricultores de Sevilla, AVALON, Fundatia ADEPT, FoodScale Hub, FiBL Germany, ZALF, FiBL Suisse.