The Irish Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, announced the approval of a new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project, “The Arable Coast Environment,” led by SECAD. The project aims to enhance habitats for biodiversity along the coast from South Cork to Wexford, with €7 million in funding allocated to cover administrative costs and payments to participating farmers. This initiative is part of the broader EIP framework, which supports locally led, collaborative projects that enable farmers to test innovative solutions and apply research directly on farms.
Minister Heydon highlighted the opportunity the project offers for farmers to develop and implement measures that support important farmland wildlife, including species such as the Hen Harrier, Yellowhammer, Skylark, and Chough. Minister O’Sullivan emphasized the collaboration of farmers, landowners, and local communities in Cork, Waterford, and Wexford, noting that practical habitat measures like leaving winter stubbles and planting wild bird cover will allow sustainable farming alongside thriving wildlife. Both ministers expressed optimism about the benefits for nature, local communities, and participating farmers.
The Arable Coast Environment project will be funded jointly by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage over four years. It will focus on identifying and prioritizing areas for action, particularly around Hen Harrier winter roost sites, securing long-term conservation, and implementing results-based measures to improve habitat quality at scale. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen linkages between farmers, local artisan producers, and industry while providing comprehensive datasets and recommendations to authorities for upscaling conservation measures across the wider countryside.
SECAD Partnership CLG, the lead operational group, is a local development company based in Midleton, Co. Cork, with extensive experience managing funds and services on behalf of Irish government departments and state bodies. Through this collaborative approach, the Arable Coast Environment EIP seeks to demonstrate how sustainable farming and biodiversity conservation can coexist and thrive along Ireland’s coastal arable farmland.
