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 Species Conservation in Action Recap
The Irish National Rural Network ran an ‘EIP-AGRI Species Conservation in Action initiative from the 6th to 8th of April 2021. This initiative highlighted the background, aims, activities and lessons learned of EIP-AGRI Operational Group projects focussed on...
Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025
On Monday, March 29th, the Government published Our Rural Future, the blueprint for a post-COVID-19 recovery and development of rural Ireland over the next five years. Containing more than 150 commitments, covering everything from remote working and revitalising our...
EIP-AGRI Species Conservation in Action Week Day 3 – Curlew EIP Project
Curlew EIP Project Overview This EIP-AGRI project aims to develop and trial new and innovative approaches at known Curlew breeding sites in Lough Corrib in Co. Galway, and the south Leitrim bogs to stem the decline of the Irish breeding Curlew population. Working...
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)
This project aims to stimulate the deployment of innovative on-farm small-scale biogas production by providing support and a capital contribution to three demonstration projects. Research will assist in understanding how biogas can drive sustainability improvements at...
Protecting Farmland Pollinators
This project aims to develop a flexible mechanism that encourages all farmers to make their whole-farm more pollinator friendly in a way that is measurable and will not impact on productivity. Geographical location (NUTS3) Mid-East Region (IE) Main Funding Source...
Allow Project – Duhallow Farming for Blue Dot Catchments
This project aims to restore the status of a high-status objective waterbody not meeting its objective in an agricultural catchment (River Allow, Duhallow, Co Cork), through a collaborative locally led farmer focused approach, between farmers with experience of...
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
