Deadline: 29-Jan-21
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is inviting applications for funding in a competitive call for proposals under the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) Initiative. The theme for this call for EIP proposals is farm health, safety and wellbeing.
EIPs involve the establishment of such Operational Groups to develop ideas, or take existing ideas/research and put them into practice. The ultimate aim of these innovation partnerships is to road-test new ideas and practices which can then be used more widely by farmers and others.
The Department is thus seeking to receive proposals for innovative approaches which address the farm health, safety and wellbeing challenges on Irish farms. This is linked to Priority 3(b) as set out in EU Regulation 1305/2013 and in Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP), 2014-2020.
A total of €1m is available for successful proposals under this call. As set out below, this funding is available to fund the development of detailed project plans at Stage 2 of the application process, as well as to support the full implementation and roll out of those projects which are successful in being chosen for full implementation.
Operational Groups
- The Operational Group is the collection of people who are in the best position to help realise the project goals. All EIPs must be delivered by an Operational Group, and there must be more than one member of the Operational Group.
- The application should set out clearly all the actors who will be members of the Operational Group. It must also set out what the role and contribution of each Operational Group member will be in relation to achieving the goals of the project including which member(s) will be lead partner.
- At Stage 1 of the process, we are seeking an outline of the members for the Operational Group. Proposals which successfully move to Stage 2 of the selection will be required at that stage to finalise the membership and roles of all actors in the Operational Group.
- Operational Groups are expected to be hands on in terms of working towards the implementation of their proposal. Operational Groups shall be set up by interested actors such as farmers, researchers, advisors, NGOs, foresters and businesses involved in the agriculture and food sector etc. who are relevant for achieving the objectives of the farm health, safety and wellbeing EIP.
- An Operational Group can also bring together any advisors/multipliers who have the expertise and knowledge needed by the project at various times, or who can disseminate/promote aspects of the project, but who do not need to be a permanent part of the Operational Group.
- Successfully selected Operational Groups must establish internal procedures that ensure that their operation and decision making is transparent and that situations of conflict of interest are avoided.
- Please note, only Operational Groups based in Ireland will be eligible for this funding.
For more information, visit https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/480d6-minister-heydon-launches-1-million-call-for-proposals-for-innovative-farm-health-safety-and-wellbeing-projects/