Agri-food and forestry researchers welcome €23m grant awards

Agri-food and forestry researchers yesterday welcomed the unveiling of grant awards totalling €23m in value by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney.

The grants will fund research projects undertaken on a collaborative basis by researchers from institutions across the island of Ireland. The funded research relate to sustainable food production and processing as well as forestry.

Several of the funded projects are applied and pre-commercial, while there is also a heavy emphasis on research involving the modern biosciences. Meat-related research features prominently. Additional investment in dairy research will ensure the two agri sectors continue to be given maximum support. Many of the projects funded involve a “farm to fork” approach.

Mr Coveney said: “I am particularly pleased to see the integrated nature of the research projects being funded as this will play a crucial role in driving innovation in the sector.

“I am also pleased to see that the issue of sustainability being addressed, at various levels, within many of these research projects. This is entirely consistent with the ’think green, act smart, achieve growth’ principles of Food Harvest 2020 as it will help provide a solid verifiable basis to underpin claims about the green credentials of Irish food which will be a major selling point on export markets in the coming years.”

Examples of funded research include the “Formulation and Design for Food Structure and Stability” project being led Prof Yrjo H Roos at UCC and Teagasc, which was awarded €649,600.

UCC Dr Kieran Jordan is leading a project entitled “Translating fundamental research on Listeria monocytogenes for the benefit of multi-sectoral ready-to-eat food industry”; this study received an award of almost €1.28m, involving researchers in Teagasc, UCC, UL, NUIG, and CIT.

Mr Coveney said: “Publicly funded research will continue to play a key role in driving innovation within the bio-economy thus contributing to the growth targets outlined in the Food Harvest 2020, and ultimately making a positive contribution to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.

“The research funded will address many of the opportunities and challenges identified in ‘Food Research Ireland’ and ‘Stimulating Sustainable Agricultural Production through Research & Innovation (SSAPRI)’, which in turn are very well aligned with the priority areas identified in the National Research Prioritisation Exercise and I applaud all stakeholders, including industry, for their continuing engagement in the process.”