Agri-researchers and companies have been awarded €6.32m in EU funding from the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
The funding is spread across a number of projects and researches in Ireland and also in other EU countries.
This funding will support advisors, farmers and researchers to allow them build networks between them improving knowledge transfer and cooperation which will create a knowledge driven-agriculture, according to the Department.
Another part of this funding will go towards reducing and creating a value for food waste.
Minter Creed commended all of the Irish researchers and companies for their participation in this highly competitive EU funding programme and in particular he congratulated those participants that have been successful.
Enterprise Ireland and the Department have created a talented and experienced agri-food and forestry research and innovation community. This has allowed them to apply for EU funding and identify horizon 2020 opportunities.
“Ireland is continuing to outperform targets set in this part of Horizon 2020 which is related to agriculture, forestry, the marine and inland waters, the rural economy and bio-economy.
“Overall, we are competing successfully with the best researchers and most innovative companies in the EU for funding,” he said.
The promotion and support structure for Horizon 2020 Societal Challenge 2 is led by the Department’s Research and Codex Division.
Through national core grant and competitively awarded funding, Ireland has built up a talented and experienced agri-food and forestry research and innovation community and the Department, working together with Enterprise Ireland and others, assists them in identifying Horizon 2020 opportunities and in applying for EU funding.
Assistance is also specifically targeted at newcomers with a view to preparing a cohort of new researchers and companies for the upcoming calls in 2017 and
Minister Creed also welcomed the fact that Teagasc, the Marine Institute, the Higher Education Institutes and SMEs have been successful in Horizon 2020 thereby helping to innovate in areas such as Blue Growth, Rural Renaissance and the Bioeconomy all of which are vital for creating high-quality and sustainable jobs, growth and investment particularly in the rural and coastal areas.
The Horizon 2020 societal challenge 2 has a total budget of €877m. The bio-based Industries joint technology Initiative is a €3.7 billion public-Private Partnership between the EU and bio-based Industries Consortium.