How farmers, landowners, rural communities and experts are cooperating to overcome shared challenges is the focus of a new booklet by CAP Network Ireland.

Cooperation in Irish Agriculture and Rural Development (2026) will be launched today at a National Networks’ meeting in Co. Wicklow.

The booklet brings together eight case studies from across the country showcasing how agriculture and rural stakeholders are working together to deal with difficulties they encounter.

From strengthening bargaining power in the supply chain and opening up access to land, to restoring biodiversity and developing local food production, the stories "demonstrate that cooperation is proving to be an extremely effective catalyst for change in rural Ireland".

The featured initiatives are: the Irish Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative; the Organic Tillage and Vegetables EIP; Slí na Feirme; Kyrie Farm in Co. Kildare; Éiru Farm in Co. Kilkenny; Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP); the Dúlra Project in Co. Galway; and the Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-op.

"Together they show that there is no single model for successful cooperation, and that groups of people working towards a common purpose can achieve far more than the sum of their parts," CAP Network Ireland said.

The publication also highlights the range of supports available to encourage and facilitate cooperation under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, which has a budget of €9.8 billion.

These include ACRES Co-operation, EIPs, the Collaborative Farming Grant Scheme, Early Stage Support for Producer Organisations, LEADER, the Knowledge Transfer Programme and support for social farming.

Cooperation

Speaking ahead of the launch, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “I am delighted to be launching this booklet on cooperation.

“Cooperation can look very different depending on the actors coming together, and this booklet does a good job of showing a diverse range of approaches."

The minister added that he has the “greatest of respect” for the innovation that is taking place across all EIPs.

He also acknowledged the “excellent work” going on through other interventions such as “our support for collaboration and farm partnerships, our excellent launchpad support for producer organisations, and our large-scale cooperation in the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) zones”.

Project manager with CAP Network Ireland, James Claffey added: “Cooperation has always been at the heart of rural Ireland, and this booklet shows it is thriving today in new and innovative forms.

“From organic farmers strengthening their position in the supply chain, to communities restoring peatland and new entrants gaining access to land, these case studies show what can be achieved when people work together with the right information, expertise and funding behind them.

The booklet will be launched at the National Networks’ meeting in Wicklow today (October 6).

Hosted by CAP Network Ireland and running from October 6-8, the meeting brings together stakeholders from across Ireland’s agriculture and rural development networks to share knowledge and experience.

The booklet is available to download on the CAP Network Ireland website.