New £1.6m Environment And Agri-Food Research Fund Announced

A new environment and agri-food research fund worth more than £1.6 million has been announced by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

The funding has been established through the Research and Development Partnership between DAERA and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will benefit from co-funding for five collaborative research projects, in areas including ash dieback recovery, methane emissions reduction and alternatives to chemical fertilisers.

Welcoming the announcement, Dr Alistair Carson, DAERA Chief Scientific Adviser, said: "Evidence from research underpins policies and strategies and is vital in order for us to effectively address future economic, environmental and social challenges. DAERA and DAFM share many of the same complex policy responsibilities, and for many years now we have sought opportunities to work together to support North-South research collaboration in areas of shared strategic importance. I am delighted to see five new collaborative projects being awarded.”

Over the last seven years, DAERA and DAFM have jointly funded 34 research projects that are designed to deliver benefits in both jurisdictions. The partnership has supported collaborative working and the development of new research capacity, particularly among early-career scientists. The funding from DAERA is available to Northern Ireland research organisations involving at least one research organisation from the Republic of Ireland.

"This latest tranche of awards highlights once more the breadth of the research being undertaken under this scheme.

"The latest projects receiving funding include for work on the use of genetic, dietary and manure management technologies to reduce methane emissions; interventions to control  Salmonella in Irish Pig Farms; and the research around efforts to conserve and re-establish ash on the island of Ireland.

"Addressing issues affecting the sustainability of the agri-food sector using transnational research creates many benefits both for the quality of the scientific outputs and for the policy development," Dr Carson added.

Successful collaborations and projects include:

• Development and application of transformative genetic, dietary and manure management technologies to reduce methane emissions from Irish pasture-based beef and dairy production systems – AFBI in partnership with Teagasc, National University of Ireland Galway, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation;

• Enteric methane emissions from pasture-based ruminant livestock; Country specific mitigation and emission factors - AFBI in partnership with Teagasc, Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, University College Dublin;

• Breeding Fraxinus excelsior (Common or European ash) for dieback disease tolerance to conserve and re-establish ash on the island of Ireland - AFBI in partnership with Teagasc, University College Dublin;

• Biostimulants for Grass Production - AFBI in partnership with University College Dublin, Munster Technological University;

• Transdisciplinary Interventions to Control Salmonella in Irish Pig Farms - AFBI in partnership with University College Dublin, Teagasc, Animal Health Ireland.