Welcome to the November 2020 issue of the National Rural Network's monthly newsletter focusing on issues related to the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020.
You can scroll down through the full newsletter or click on one of the six themes below to jump to that section. Each short news story contains a link to the full article.
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National Rural Network Biodiversity Farmer of the Year 2020 Award
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The National Rural Network Biodiversity Farmer of the Year Award celebrates farmers who are safeguarding the environment by protecting and enhancing nature on their farms. The main image shows Alan Doyle from Co. Kilkenny, the 2019 NRN Biodiversity Farmer of the Year and 2019 FBD Young Farmer Drystock Category Winner.
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Increased Engagement with Nature during the Covid-19 Lockdown
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A considerable spike in species recording efforts occurred immediately following the Covid-19 lockdown in late March, indicating that people became more aware of their surroundings and engaged with their local biodiversity.
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Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme Updates
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Please be advised of the following tranche closing date for the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II). TAMS II is currently in its 19th tranche and this tranche is due to close on October 30th, 2020.
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Signpost Series: October Focus
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The National Rural Network, in association with Teagasc ConnectED, Dairy Sustainability Ireland, and Food Drinks Ireland Skillnet, is currently hosting a series of online webinars called the Signpost Series. To the end of October, we have held 31 webinars covering various topics from agricultural policy, soil fertility, climate change, the MACC, water quality, forestry, energy, and biodiversity.
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Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020 was published on 7th October 2020, and is described as an ambitious piece of legislation. It commits us, in law, to move to a climate-resilient and climate neutral economy by 2050.
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Climate Change Advisory Council – Annual Review 2020
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In its Annual Review 2020, the Climate Change Advisory Council stressed that a radical shift in gear is required if Ireland is to meet its 2030 climate targets, especially reductions in carbon emissions. This requires urgent action and commitment from farmers to implement on-farm measures.
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ENRD Good Practice Workshop: Assessment of Resource Efficiency and Climate
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The Good Practice Workshop, 'Assessment of resource efficiency and climate’, took place on 28-29 September 2020, online. The presentations are now available on the ENRD Evaluation Helpdesk´s website.
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NRN’s LEADER Impact Campaign Open for Voting
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The NRN launched their LEADER Impact Campaign in September which asked those who have drawn down LEADER funding, in the current programme, to tell the story of how LEADER has impacted their project by creating their own short video. Voting is open now and will close at 6pm on Monday the 23rd November.
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Interreg Europe’s ‘European Week of Regions and Cities’
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The NRN recently participated in the 18th edition of Interreg Europe’s ‘European Week of Regions and Cities’ held via Zoom from 12th-15th October 2020. A number of sessions that were part of the event such as ‘Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century’ and ‘Global crises – Local responses’ focussed on the ever-increasing importance of community-led ‘smart’ initiatives to overcome challenges brought about by the global COVID-19 crises.
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First EU Rural Digitalisation Forum
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The first meeting of the EU Rural Digitalisation Forum took place on 10th September 2020 via Zoom. The Rural Digitalisation Forum (RDF) is a platform, set-up within the DESIRA project, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders working on digitalisation of rural areas. The RDF aims to be a space for sharing experiences, ideas and recommendations, and communicating them across Europe.
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Shaping Our Rural Future with Minister Heather Humphreys
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The Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys held an online engagement event to discuss ‘Shaping our Rural Future’ on 24th September. The Minister was joined by a panel of guest speakers including Seamus Boland, CEO of Irish Rural Link, Tracey Keogh co-founder of Grow Remote, Emma Kerins Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Chambers Ireland and Pat Dowling, Chief Executive at Clare County Council.
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EU Long Term Rural Vision
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The European Commission has announced their intent to develop a Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas across the EU. This vision includes supporting Rural Areas in addressing challenges such as demographic change, connectivity, employment opportunities and limited access to services and to help them to further develop their potential.
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Second Episode of the NRN’s EIP-AGRI Vlog Series
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The NRN have released the 2nd episode of their Video Blog (Vlog) series on farmers who are participating in Ireland’s 23 EIP-AGRI projects located throughout the country. The latest Vlog features Cyril Ó Flaithearta from the Caomhnú Árann Project who explains how this locally-led project is managing the habitats of the Aran Islands to maximise their agricultural and ecological output.
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EU Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) Event
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The European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), and the EIP-AGRI Service Point held an online seminar dedicated to the development of national Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) as part of the CAP Strategic Plans post 2020 from 16th-18th September 2020.
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NRN Content Featured in EU Agrinnovation Magazine
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An infographic of Ireland's 23 EIP-AGRI Operational Group projects, produced by the NRN team at NUI Galway, is featured in the 7th edition of the EIP-AGRI Service Point's Agrinnovation magazine (p.6).
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Updated NRN EIP-AGRI Operational Group Infographic
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The NRN team at NUI Galway have updated their widely used and documented EIP-AGRI infographic detailing the geographical location of Ireland's 23 Operational Groups, successfully selected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to include the new logos of the Irish Breeding Curlew EIP and Protecting Farmland Pollinators EIP-AGRI projects.
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FARM VIABILITY & COMPETITIVENESS
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NRN Bioeconomy Awareness Week 2020
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The NRN ran a bioeconomy awareness campaign as part of Ireland Bioeconomy Week 2020 that ran from 19th-23rd October 2020. This pioneering initiative provided farmers and rural dwellers with an insight into the types of locally-led bioeconomy projects that the LEADER Programme, as well as the EIP-AGRI initiative are funding ‘on-the-ground’ at farm and community level, under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020.
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Bioeconomy Glossary of Terms Launched by the NRN
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As part of Bioeconomy Week 2020, the National Rural Network (NRN) launched a Bioeconomy Glossary of Terms. The Glossary of Terms produced in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine seeks to highlight some of the key terms in Ireland’s rapidly growing bioeconomy.
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Winner of Farming for Nature Public Choice Award 2020
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Jim Cronin, a horticulture and suckler farmer from Bridgetown Co. Clare, was named winner of the Farming for Nature Public Choice Award 2020 at this year’s Burren Winterage Weekend 2020 on the 24th of October 2020.
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Social Farming Ireland Release New Report
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Social Farming Ireland, the organisation responsible for developing and expanding the social farming network across Ireland, have recently launched a report on ‘Social Farming & Healthy Ireland’. Social Farming is unique in that it is a form of multifunctional farming and it overlaps with health and social care policy.
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NOTICE: Details of many events are changing rapidly due to COVID-19, and most are now taking place as online meetings / webinars. We cannot guarantee that any future in-person events will be taking place, and encourage you to check directly with organisers regularly for updates.
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Weekly Webinar: The Signpost Series collaboration webinar with NRN, Teagasc, Dairy Sustainability Ireland & Food and Drink Ireland Skillnet.
https://tinyurl.com/yc4of2lf
Teagasc /Glanbia Open Source Future Farm Walks
https://tinyurl.com/y2mqbbn9
Teagasc Sustainability 2019 Report Launch- Online. 3rd November, 9.30am.
https://tinyurl.com/y5c8rvky
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Farm Business Options Webinar - Insurance around farm diversifications. 3rd November, 11am
https://tinyurl.com/y5pyjv7g
Walsh Scholars: The Next Generation. 5th November
An online public showcase of Teagasc's leading postgraduate agri-food research.
https://tinyurl.com/y6x6udwh
Teagasc Hedgerow Week. 7th-11th December 2020, Nationwide
https://tinyurl.com/y6e78t62
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