EIP-AGRI
Supporting innovation, competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture and forestry.
About EIP-AGRI in Ireland
What is EIP-AGRI?
The European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI) is an exciting and novel approach to research and innovation. EIP-AGRI is one of five European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) launched to boost the EU’s capacity to innovate. EIP-AGRI focuses on agriculture and forestry. Other EIPs target issues related for example to healthy
EIPs are challenge-driven and focus on societal benefits and
The overall aim of EIP-AGRI relates to the pooling of expertise and resources by bringing together public and private sectors at EU, national and regional levels. EIP-AGRI works to:
- Combine supply and demand side measures
- Focus on forming partnerships, using bottom-up approaches
- Link actors in different types of interactive innovation projects such as Operational Groups (OGs) under Rural Development Programmes (RDPs).
The National Rural Network (NRN) works closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to support and build networks between Ireland’s OGs, as well as research and disseminate information on Ireland’s EIP-AGRI projects.
Operational Groups (OGs)
EIP-AGRI Operational Groups are funded under the RDP and are project based. OGs bring together multiple actors such as:
- Farmers
- Researchers
- Farm advisers
- Environmental groups
- Other NGOs.
OGs work on projects to advance innovation in the agriculture and forestry sectors.
Read also our EIP-AGRI: Ireland’s Operational Groups 2019 Booklet.
The NRN has developed an Interactive Storyboard Database and infographic of Ireland’s EIP-AGRI OGs.
Click on the image below to visit database – or click here to view
Focus Groups
EIP-AGRI Focus Groups bring together expertise from researchers, advisors, farmers, and industry. Focus groups are:
- Designed to facilitate knowledge transfer between members
- Work to collect and assimilate knowledge on good practices in a specific area and list opportunities and solutions
- Set up at an international level bringing together 20 experts from the agriculture sector
- Temporary groups of selected experts focusing on a specific subject, sharing knowledge and experience.
Focus groups are convened over a 1 to 2 year period and each group must meet at least twice a year. At the end of the
A number of focus groups have Irish representation. Find more detail on these in the ‘Focus Group’ section below.
Operational Group Storyboard
Latest News
EIP-AGRI Service Point Newsletter
The most recent edition of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI) Service Point monthly newsletter on agriculture and innovation is now available online. This newsletter contains a wide range of material...
EIP-AGRI Operational Group Infographic Featured in EPA Report
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have featured the National Rural Network’s EIP-AGRI Operational Group Infographic within their most recent State of the Environment report entitled 'Ireland’s Environment - An Integrated Assessment 2020' (p.335). This...
SUAS (Sustainable Uplands Agri-environment Scheme) Project Demonstration Event
The SUAS EIP-AGRI Project held a demonstration event on the 26th of August 2021 on the farm of one of their participating farmers, organised in conjunction with Heritage Week 2021. Attendees were updated on the progress and findings of the project to date, made aware...
Blog Posts
Reimagining Rural Futures
In this National Rural Network EIP-AGRI guest blog, Dr Brendan Dunford, Manager of the Burren Programme, explains that the role of the farmer is much more than just being a ‘food producer’, but also one that deliveries a number of agri-environmental public goods as...
Biorefinery Glas – Bringing the Bioeconomy to Irish Farms
In this National Rural Network EIP-AGRI guest blog, James Gaffey, Co-Director of the Circular Bioeconomy Research Group (CIRCBIO) at Shannon ABC in IT Tralee and coordinator of the Biorefinery Glas EIP-AGRI Project, small-scale grass biorefinery demonstration project...
Should Farmers Score their Own Fields in Results Based Programmes?
In this National Rural Network EIP-AGRI guest blog, Dr Amanda Browne, Scientific and Technical Officer of the Caomhnú Árann EIP-AGRI Project, outlines the field scoring system developed for the Aran Islands (but applicable elsewhere), where farmer self-assessment is...
Are you interested in EIP-AGRI and
rural development?
Case Studies
Small Biogas Demonstration Programme (SBDP)
Project Details Geographical location (NUTS3) Midlands & Mid-West Region (IE) Main funding source Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013) Project Duration 2019 - 2023 Total...
Protecting Farmland Pollinators
Project Details Geographical location (NUTS3) Mid-East Region (IE) Main Funding Source Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013) Project Duration 2019 - 2023 Total Budget...
Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments
Project Details Geographical location (NUTS3) South-West Region (IE) Main Funding Source Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013) Project Duration 2019 - 2023 Total Budget...
Video Gallery
EIP-AGRI: Ireland’s Operational Groups 2019 Booklet
The National Rural Network team at NUI Galway have designed and produced a booklet entitled ‘EIP-AGRI: Ireland’s Operational Groups 2019’ to highlight and promote the 23 Irish EIP-AGRI Operational Groups selected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Reports and Resources
EIP-AGRI USEFUL LINKS
Focus Groups
EIP-AGRI Focus Groups are temporary groups of selected experts focusing on a specific subject, sharing knowledge and experience. These groups bring together expertise from research, advisors, farmers, and industry. Focus Groups are set up at international level bringing together 20 experts from the agriculture sector.
See More
The groups are designed to facilitate knowledge transfer between members, to collect and assimilate knowledge on best practices in a specific area and list opportunities and solutions. Each Focus Group must meet at least twice a year. The Focus Group is convened over a 1-2 year period. At the end of the period a report is completed and the results and findings of the Focus Group are published on the EIP-AGRI website.
The following Focus Groups have Irish representation:
Agro-forestry : woody vegetation- Animal Husbandry
- Nutrient Recycling
- Dairy Production Systems
- New Entrants into Farming
- Mainstreaming Precision Farming
- Protein Crops
- Livestock Emissions
- High Nature Value (HPV) Farming Profitability
- Short Food Supply Chains
- Permanent Grassland
Read more here: www.eip-agri.ie
NRN Partners & Funders
Contact Info
Address
Unit 2A Moate Business Park,
Clara Rd, Moate,
Co. Westmeath. N37 W9R0
