The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has today, Wednesday, April 17, launched an environmental exhibition and publication.
According to a statement from Minister Creed’s department, the publication highlights “the wide variety” of projects being undertaken under his department’s European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) locally led schemes in Ireland.
Minister Creed explained that his department is now investing €59 million in 23 of these new types of schemes.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Creed said: “We are committed to building a sustainable agricultural system that respects the environment.
The agriculture sector is determined to play its part in responding to the challenges before us on climate, water quality and biodiversity.
“The targeted approach to specific challenges in specific areas can complement our larger national agri-environmental schemes.”
- Biodiversity;
- Organic production;
- Pollinators;
- Water quality;
- Flood management;
- Soils;
- Farming in an archaeological landscape;
- Targeting unutilised agricultural biomass.
The exhibition is open to the public to visit. Following its display in Dublin, the exhibition will be moving to the department’s office in Johnstown Castle Estate in Co. Wexford.
Continuing, the minister said: “The benefits of locally led schemes are obvious and it starts at the design stage.
This is when farmers, researchers, scientists and advisors come together in operational groups to address a specific local environmental issue.
“The final 23 selected projects are of the highest quality and came through a rigorous selection process.”
Concluding, Minister Creed said: “Now that they are up and running, we want to bring their innovation to a wider audience. There is no doubt that lessons learned here will have wider application, not least in the design of the next CAP.”