The Department of Agriculture has announced the projects that will receive support this year under the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund for initiatives to promote and develop social farming projects in rural areas.
A contract has been awarded to Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG, following a competitive public procurement. The project will continue to develop the national social farming network known as Social Farming Ireland with funding of €400,000.
Social farming is the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment.
From a low base, predominately in the border counties of the Republic, social farming activity in Ireland has grown rapidly in the last two years.
Additional contracts
In addition, the following contracts have been extended for a period of one year with associated funding of almost €360,000:
€400,000 available to fund social farming network
My Country Living: creating a sanctuary for wildlife and people