Today, Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D., announced a significant investment of €22.3 million in grant aid for 21 new research projects. This funding is part of the 2023 DAFM Thematic Research Call and represents a historic commitment by the Department, with overall funding reaching €46 million for the year, the largest ever allocated for a research call by the Department.
Among these transformative projects, two from Trinity College Dublin stand out for their potential to address critical challenges in agriculture and plant health.
Project 1: Farmland Nature Credits Project
Among the diverse projects receiving funding, one of the standout initiatives is Trinity College Dublin's project titled "Developing Farmland Nature Credits to Accelerate the Sustainable Transition in Irish Agriculture (FarmCredit)." Coordinated by Professor Yvonne Buckley, this project has been awarded €349,768 and addresses three critical environmental challenges in Irish agriculture: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, restoring nature to farmland, and improving water quality.
The project aims to tackle three critical environmental challenges in Irish agriculture: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, restoring nature to farmland, and improving water quality.
The recent iteration of the Common Agricultural Policy addresses these challenges, but there is growing interest in private incentives to accelerate sustainable transitions in the agri-food system. Examples include Carbery's FutureProof initiative, which rewards farmers with higher milk prices for sustainability efforts, and Coillte Nature's Woodland Nature Credit.
Approach:
- Development of Investable Credits: NatureCredit will co-design tools to package on-farm sustainability improvements into rigorous, robust, and transparent credits that can attract investment from agri-food corporates.
- Monitoring and Verification: Robust monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) platforms will be used to measure soil carbon, biodiversity, and the carbon footprint of farms. NatureCredit will collaborate with two leading MRV technology companies for these measurements.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The project will involve financial partners, dairy processors, and an advisory board to design a practical credit instrument for farmers.
- Regulatory Framework: Stakeholders will be consulted to create a white paper outlining the regulation and enforcement needed for a Farmland Nature Credit market to ensure social and environmental benefits.
The tools developed will be applicable to any dairy farm in Ireland, other agricultural sectors, and businesses with land holdings, promoting widespread adoption of sustainable practices.
This project aims to provide additional incentives beyond public policies, accelerating the sustainable transition of Irish agriculture and ensuring the proper functioning of a market for Farmland Nature Credits.
Project 2: Detecting Plant Nursery Pathogens Using HTS Technology
This project aims to develop methods for detecting microbial pathogens in plant nurseries using high-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) technologies.
Traditional pathogen detection in plant nurseries relies on visual inspection, which is time-consuming and dependent on the inspector's expertise and the presence of disease symptoms. HTS technologies, particularly through eDNA application, offer significant potential for efficient pathogen detection and quantification.
Approach:
- Sampling and Detection: The project will sample wastewater, growing media, and plant material from nurseries, botanic gardens, and research environments. HTS pipelines will be developed for long and short-read sequence detection of pathogens.
- Whole Genome Sequencing: WGS of isolated and cultured target microbes will be conducted to provide genomic reference tools for further characterisation and screening.
- Focus Areas: The primary focus is on hardy ornamental nursery stock and non-quarantine fungal and bacterial pathogens of Rhododendron and Prunus, including Phytophthora and Pseudomonas.
- General Methodology: The project aims to create a general methodology for routine pathogen surveillance, guiding inspection staff and informing the detection and regulation of plant pathogens.
This project will enhance plant health surveillance in nurseries and other ecosystems in Ireland by providing a roadmap for implementing HTS technology in pathogen detection.
With a funding of €799,373.22, this project, coordinated by Trevor Hopkinson, will offer improved pathogen detection methods, aiding in more efficient and effective plant health management.
These projects represent significant advancements in sustainable agriculture and plant health management. By combining innovative technologies and collaborative efforts, these initiatives will contribute to a more sustainable and competitive future for Irish agriculture.
Broader Context and Minister's Vision
Minister Heydon emphasised the broader impact of this investment, noting that the 21 newly funded projects will address vital areas such as climate change mitigation, water quality, animal health, food safety, and the bioeconomy. He stated, "Today’s investment builds on the first tranche of projects that received funding last December. Taken together, these represent an overall investment of €46 million, the largest ever from a research Call run by my Department. This investment will help equip the Irish agriculture, food, forest, and bioeconomy sectors with the science and technology they need to become even more sustainable and competitive into the future."
The funding will support 48 postgraduate student positions and an additional 55 postdoctoral and contract researchers across 17 institutions, fostering a pool of highly skilled researchers essential for driving innovation and sustainability in these sectors.
Collaborative Efforts and North-South Cooperation
Highlighting the importance of collaboration, the announcement noted ongoing North-South cooperation in agri-food research and innovation. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland, provided funding to enable eligible research organisations in Northern Ireland to collaborate with partners in Ireland. Two projects in the current tranche will benefit from this cross-border collaboration, further enhancing the impact and reach of the research initiatives.
Minister Heydon concluded by stressing the evolving nature of practices across the agri-food, forest, and bioeconomy sectors. "A steady pipeline of new solutions is the cornerstone of increasing economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The next step is for the output of these projects to reach end-users such as farmers, advisors, policy makers, and industry stakeholders," he said.
This substantial investment underscores the Department's commitment to equipping Ireland's agricultural sectors with the scientific and technological advancements needed for a sustainable and competitive future.