Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has awarded over €1.5 million for three new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects on the theme of generational renewal.

The funding comes as part of an overall €2.85 million allocation for a total of five EIP projects, the remaining two of which are on the theme of promoting digital technology on farms.

The call for project proposals was opened by then-minister Charlie McConalogue in October.

Minister Heydon said: "I am delighted to announce five new European Innovation Partnership projects aimed at enhancing the areas of generational renewal and digital technology on Irish farms under Ireland’s CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

"The digital technologies call specifically focused on fostering the greater uptake and utilisation of digital tools and technologies to support evidence-based decision-making on Irish farms," the minister added.

Minister Heydon said that the EIP model "involves farmers at each stage of the process to ensure practical outcomes and learnings which can easily be upscaled and translated into practice on farms".

"EIPs are an important funding model and mechanism to drive innovation at farm level, and to address local challenges," he added.

€650,000 has been allocated for a project titled 'Farm Forward: Connecting Generations and Farming for the Future', which is a partnership between Ballyhoura Development; Teagasc; Dairygold; some farm organisations; and Cork and Limerick county councils, among others.

The aim of that project is to design and implement farmer led actions that enable new entrants and developing farmers to improve their competitiveness, sustainability and resilience; and enable exiting farmers to improve their overall quality of life, familial relationships, active citizenship, and economic security.

A further €600,000 has been allocated to 'Renewal in Agriculture through Intergenerational Support & Empowerment' (RAISE), operated by the Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council; the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS); Teagasc; Aurivo; and Dairygold, among others.

The RAISE project aims to stimulate sustainable generational renewal in Irish agriculture by addressing the needs of both young and aging farmers. By promoting partnerships, mentorship, and skill development, RAISE aims to overcome barriers to land access for young farmers while providing aging farmers with financial security.

€301,300 has been allocated to 'Using Share Farming to Facilitate Generational Renewal', which is operated by the Land Mobility Service; Succession Ireland; Teagasc; Lakeland Dairies; and Macra, among others.

This project proposes to use and demonstrate share farming as an effective generational renewal tool and aims to address three objectives of the CAP Strategic Plan, namely farm family income, food production recognition, and support for climate ambitions.

Some €1.3 million has been allocated to the two digital technology projects.

€650,000 is going to 'OviFlock Foundations for genetic improvement in Irish Hill sheep'; while €648,287 will be allocated to 'Parasite Risk Assessment for Sustainable Co-designed On-farm Practices and Evaluation' (PARASCOPE).