Waterford agricultural project nominated for prestigious European award
The BRIDE – Biodiversity Regeneration in a Dairying Environment project in Waterford has been nominated for a EIP-AGRI (European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture) Innovation Award
A sustainable forestry project in county Clare is one of three Irish projects shortlisted for the 2024 EIP-AGRI (European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture) Innovation Awards.
The main objective of the awards is to recognise and reward outstanding EIP-AGRI Operational Groups which have developed innovative practices, solutions, products and processes.
BRIDE – Biodiversity Regeneration in a Dairying Environment, based in Cork and Waterford, is among the Irish nominees.
The project addresses farmland biodiversity loss by incentivising farmers to improve habitats through a results-based payment system, rewarding farmers for biodiversity improvements.
It aims to design and implement a results-based approach to conserve, enhance and restore habitats in lowland intensive farmland.
An innovative feature of the BRIDE Project is the landscape-scale approach to biodiversity whereby groups of farmers in a given area will be encouraged to implement a range of habitat improvement measures.
This combined, community-based effort is an entirely new approach to environmental management compared to the randomised process of selection in previous agri-environment schemes.
Two more Irish projects have been shortlisted for the 2024 EIP-AGRI awards.
The Illaun Farm-Forest Alliance, based near Miltown Malbay in Clare has developed an innovative approach to farm forests in Ireland, fostering habitat restoration, improved biodiversity, social engagement and knowledge dissemination.
Sustainable Uplands Agri-environment Scheme (SUAS), based in Wicklow and the Dublin Mountains, addresses the declining conditions of upland habitats in the Wicklow and Dublin Mountains brought on by the increasing number of farmers moving away from grazing in the area.
For more details about the 2024 EIP-AGRI Innovation Awards for Operational Groups and to cast your vote, visit the EU CAP Network website.
You can vote for your favourite project on the EU CAP Network website until Friday, May 3, 2024.