The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a new knowledge transfer initiative in Northern Ireland to help guide and support farm businesses.
The new CAFRE ‘Supporting Agri-Professionals’ Programme is part of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP) and will focus on professional development, technical expertise, and practical support aimed at equipping industry professionals.
Speaking at the launch event at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said the Knowledge Transfer Programme for Agri-Professionals will “support” the objective of communicating messages on key DAERA policy areas.
“Crucially it will provide an opportunity to significantly widen the reach of knowledge transfer.
“This will be essential in achieving the overall objective to transition to a more sustainable farming sector by seeking to implement policies and strategies that benefit our climate and environment, while, very importantly, supporting our economically and socially significant agri-food sector,” Minister Muir said.
The programme will see online and face-to-face training around two to four hours long, covering broad topics that are relevant to a large proportion of farm businesses, such as soil nutrient health, carbon awareness, slurry management, and water quality.
The minister encouraged all those involved in the sector to engage with the new programme and take advantage of the opportunities available.
Minister Muir also confirmed that a series of awareness events will take place across Northern Ireland in the coming weeks. These events will provide farmers with the opportunity to learn more about the Sustainable Agriculture Programme, and the schemes commencing in 2025.
Each event will commence with an update on the new Sustainable Agriculture Programme including details of the new Farm Sustainability Payment, Beef Sustainability Package and Farming with Nature Package.
Following this, there will be an opportunity for one-to-one discussions on issues impacting individual’s farm businesses. Details of dates and events can be found on the CAFRE website, and no advance booking in required.
