A new all-island project, known as AgriFood Connect, has been launched by Munster Technological University (MTU) and Queen's University Belfast to address challenges in the agri-food sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The project aims to accelerate innovation in the agri-food and agritech industries by bridging the gap between innovative research and market-ready solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), early-stage companies, food companies, and farmers.

The project will also, it is hoped, lead to greater cross-border collaboration among SMEs and other players such as universities, third-sector organisations and government agencies using cluster and networking supports.

AgriFood Connect is led by MTU's AgriTech Ireland Cluster and Queen's Agri-Food Quest Competence Centre, and is also supported by InterTradeIreland.

According to the MTU AgriTech Ireland Cluster, gaps remain in translating research findings into viable, scalable solutions for the industry.

SMEs involved in agriculture and food production often struggle to adopt new technologies due to a lack of resources, networks and expertise, resulting in missed opportunities for growth, sustainability and increased productivity, according to MTU.

These challenges pose a risk not only to the competitiveness of SMEs but also to the long-term sustainability and economic resilience of the sector.

AgriFood Connect will be rolled out in four phases, each focused on building partnerships and translating research into market-ready solutions.

It is hoped that the project will create a platform for knowledge exchange, enabling stakeholders to work together and address common challenges within the supply chain.

Commenting on the project, Kieran O'Donoghue, educational outreach manager with AgriTech Ireland Cluster, said: "This initiative marks a significant step forward in fostering collaborative innovation across the island, bringing together the best minds from research and industry to drive innovation in agriculture and food production.

"By working together, we are not only connecting and strengthening the ties between key stakeholders across Ireland but also paving the way for advancements that will enhance both sustainability and productivity across the agricultural and food sectors, positioning Ireland as a global leader in agri-food innovation," O'Donoghue added.

Stephane Durane, Agri-Food Quest Competence Centre, said: "This AgriFood Connect project provides an exciting opportunity to build on many existing activities and structures that help drive commercialisation to better connect and build an ecosystem for innovation.

"Connecting and building capacity to foster collaboration across these centres and the wider ecosystem provides great potential for start-ups and SMEs to nurture new products, services and ideas for the benefit of the agri-food sector," Durane added.