13 December 2023
Teagasc projects supported under DAFM Thematic Research Call
Teagasc research projects in the areas of climate change, water quality and biodiversity, forestry, food health and nutrition, and food safety have been supported by grants from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Announced today, December 13th, by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development, Martin Heydon, Teagasc is one of 16 institutes to be awarded funding as part of the DAFM Thematic Research Call.
The Teagasc projects supported 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, coordinated by Sinead Waters, Teagasc.
- A solution-oriented framework for reducing the slaughter age of Irish beef cattle, coordinated by Paul Smith, Teagasc.
- Enteric methane emissions from pasture-based ruminant livestock; Country specific mitigation and emission factors, coordinated Ben Lahart, Teagasc.
- Geospatial drainage status detection mapping of organic rich soils for NIR and policy support needs, coordinated by Owen Fenton, Teagasc.
- Monitoring and evaluating targeted mitigation approaches to improve Water Quality coordinated by Daire O’hUallacháin, Teagasc.
- Breeding Fraxinus excelsior (Common or European ash) for dieback disease tolerance to conserve and re-establish ash on the island of Ireland, coordinated by Dheeraj Rathore, Teagasc.
- Growing Resilient Organic Farming Systems: GRO-FarmS, coordinated by Kevin Kilcline, Teagasc.
- Gluten-free innovation for novel, sustainable food systems: From farm gate to consumer plate, coordinated by Eimear Gallagher, Teagasc.
- Uncovering Protein Potential via Fermentation Technology, coordinated by Olivia McAuliffe, Teagasc.
- Detection and Control of Listeria monocytogenes in food production, coordinated by Kaye Burgess, Teagasc.
Commenting on the announcement, Minister McConalogue said: “I am delighted to announce funding of over €24 million for 20 research projects arising from the 2023 Thematic Research Call. The work funded under our research calls is essential to equip farmers, foresters, and the wider agri-food sector with the tools needed to improve their economic, environmental, and social sustainability in the years ahead.
“It is also pivotal to developing the next generation of cutting-edge technologies and innovations that will ensure we are globally attractive and competitive as a food island.’’
The Minister went on to say that: “I am also heartened to see that the projects will involve the education and training of over 40 postgraduate students and over 60 contract researchers, thus ensuring a continuous stream of highly skilled scientific talent coming through to our industry.”
Minister Heydon said: “When I launched the 2023 Thematic Research Call earlier this year, my objectives were to build research capacity, expertise and reputation in critical areas of importance, address research gaps and provide opportunities for early-stage researchers, encouraging collaboration across institutions and across scientific disciplines. In announcing this funding today of over €24 million from four research funders across the island, I firmly believe that the 20 projects involved will fulfil those objectives.”
Minister Heydon concluded: “We are in a time of increasing uncertainty and challenges, further strengthening the capacity and capability of Ireland’s national agri-food, forest and bioeconomy research base is critical to underpinning its future competitiveness and sustainability. It is therefore vital that the results and outcomes of this research does not sit on a shelf. It must be communicated and translated into innovations, technologies, products, policies, or other deliverables so that this public good research has real world impact. I congratulate the 20 project coordinators and wish them and their teams every success over the coming years.”
More information on the successful projects can be found here.