Teagasc researchers awarded funding for sustainable agriculture research
Two Teagasc researchers have been awarded funding as part of the European Green ERAHUB, which supports research into sustainable agriculture and food systems.
The Green ERAHUB (GEH) research initiative aims to provide information, communication, cooperation, networking and joint transnational funding in the agri-food and biotechnology sector for national funders and researchers.
The first call on sustainable and resilient agri-food systems under the GEH was focused on four topics: enhance fertiliser efficiency and reduce fertiliser use; increase European protein self-sufficiency; mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural and food systems; and sustainable energy use and production in agri-food systems.
As part of this funding call, Dr Bridget Lynch was awarded funding for the Fertigo project, which will focus on improving fertiliser strategies by the innovative use of plantain in agricultural systems. Additionally, Dr Fiona McGovern was awarded funding for the SustainSheep project, which will investigate the development of new breeding goals for sheep to reduce methane emissions.
The provision of funding to the Teagasc researchers came as part of a wider announcement by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for researcher and innovation, Martin Heydon T.D, who announced awards totalling almost €2.2 million for Irish researchers participating in European research initiatives.
Five researchers from various institutions were awarded funding of just over €1.45 million as part of the European Green ERAHUB, which supports research into agriculture and food systems. Additionally, €740,000 was awarded as part of the ForestValue2 research initiative, which aims to support and increase coordination and alignment of national and regional funding programmes on research and innovation related to the forest-based bioeconomy.
Announcing the awards, Minister Heydon said the funding will allow “Irish researchers to work with their European counterparts across six projects for the benefit of the wider agriculture and forestry sector”.
Minister Heydon added: “These projects further demonstrate our dedication to innovative research to provide solutions for greenhouse gas emissions and fertiliser use reduction, new protein sources, and the novel use of timber in the sustainable construction of large-scale buildings. I am confident that together, these projects can bring about solutions to our common challenges and help to achieve greater impact for our agri-food and forest sectors.”