01 May 2025
Funding for Teagasc projects under international strand of DAFM’s Research Programme
A number of Teagasc researchers have been awarded funding for projects through the international strand of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Research Programme.
Announced today, May 1, by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, TD, and Minister of State with special responsibility for research Noel Grealish, funding of €5.9m has been made available to a number of research bodies for new ICT, environmental, animal welfare and bioeconomy research.
DAFM’s financial support enables Irish researcher involvement in four projects, namely: the EU Agroecology Partnership Call; the Green ERAHUB Joint Call; the ICT-AGRI-FOOD Call; and the US-Ireland R&D Partnership. Under these, Teagasc researchers have been awarded funding under the EU Agroecology Partnership and the US-Ireland R&D Partnership.
The importance of international collaboration
Announcing the awards, Minister Heydon, said: “As one of the key funders of research in Ireland, my Department considers international collaboration a priority.
“Given the complexity of some of the scientific challenges facing our sector, and considering the commonality of these across countries, it makes sense for researchers to collaborate internationally.
“I am therefore delighted to announce €5.9 million in combined funding which will enable Irish researchers to lead or participate in fourteen projects with partners across the EU and the US,” Minister Heydon said.
These projects have been successful in three competitive European research calls and the US-Ireland Research and Development Partnership. The Irish researcher participation is made possible due to financial support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Other organisations to receive funding include University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Technological University of the Shannon, Tyndall National Institute and South East Technological University.
For his part, Minister of State Grealish, said: “We have excellent research talent here in Ireland and I am delighted that this has been recognised by the success of the Irish participants in the fourteen projects across these four international research calls.
“The collaboration and sharing of expertise, resources and ideas will be across a wide range of areas including ICT and data technologies for farmers, bio-circularity, agroecological approaches at farm level, soil health, climate adaptation, crop breeding, and animal health and welfare,” Minister Grealish noted.
The EU Agroecology Partnership
Funded by Horizon Europe, the Agroecology Partnership unites the European Commission and 72 partners across 26 Member States, Associated Countries, and third countries to support an agriculture sector that is fit to meet the targets and challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, food security and sovereignty, and the environment, while ensuring a profitable and attractive activity for farmers.
Under this, Teagasc has been awarded the following funding:
- Project title: Enriching European Landscapes with Agroecological Practices
- Funding Award: €346,822
- Lead Irish Partner and Institution: Dr. Ian Short, Teagasc.
- Project title: Holistic evaluation of agroecological measures
- Funding Award: €495,068
- Lead Irish Partner and Institution: Dr. Ciaran Hearn, Teagasc.
- Project title: Strengthening Agricultural landscape multi-functionality through expansion of agroecological farming in EuRope
- Funding Award: €497,978
- Lead Irish Partner and Institution: Dr Saorla Kavanagh, Teagasc and Dr Dara Stanley, University College Dublin
- Project title: Agroecological Transition of the European Dairy Farming System
- Funding Award: €373,075
- Lead Irish Partner and Institution: Dr. Aine Macken-Walsh, Teagasc
US-Ireland R&D Partnership
The US-Ireland R&D Partnership is a tri-jurisdictional alliance between Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United States. Under this, Teagasc has been awarded the following funding:
- Project Title: IDEAS Tripartite: Automated Piglet and Sow Monitoring for Early Detection of At-Risk Piglets
- Funding Award: €345,545
- Lead Irish Partner and Institution: Dr Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, Teagasc.