The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine have announced the results of an Open Call for European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) Farm and Community Biodiversity Initiatives. 

Two projects submitted by Ballyhoura Development, in association with Glenroe Community, Teagasc, and a range of partners bringing expertise and experience, have received an allocation to commence activities. 

Minister Hackett stated,

“I am very excited to see the wonderful projects that this Call is going to fund. It is really positive to see the ideas so many small farms and community groups have come up with to impact positively on their own local environment. The response we got to the call proves there is huge concern about and interest in biodiversity in Ireland.”

The two local projects, among 24 nationally supported, are the Parish Habitats & Biodiversity EIP (€95,000) and The Deel Spatially Targeted Buffers EIP (€80,000). The projects will focus on the promotion of biodiversity through collaboration amongst farming groups, community, partners, and Ballyhoura Development and meet a key target in the Department’s Action Plan of designing and commencing transitional schemes including Biodiversity, Climate, Environment, and EIP local actions.

The existing schemes supported across the country are demonstrating real innovation and focusing on measurable results in terms of climate, biodiversity, and water as well as enhancing the viability of farmers involved. The new local Ballyhoura projects will allow communities to be more involved in the planning and implementation of small-scale projects and will be a positive development in the already very successful EIP Initiative.

Referring to that success, the Minister concluded,

“I was determined to see small-scale projects be supported so that a wider range of farmers and groups could avail of all the progress that has been made over the past few years. My Department is viewed across the EU as a leader in how we implement and fund our major EIPs. Now we are going to see smaller ones, with local results-based actions, also making a real difference to the environment.”

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