Former Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has joined the BASE-Line EIP as project manager.

The project, which was awarded €1.4m under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s environmental sustainability EIP call, will focus on the role regenerative agriculture plays in restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, nature and water quality, as well as supporting farm viability and farmer well-being.

“I’ve long respected the work of BASE Ireland, and have admired the farmers proactive and open-minded approach to agriculture,” Hackett said.

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“This project duly recognises their hard work over the past decade or so, and I am excited about working with them over the coming years.”

BASE Ireland chair and project lead Rob Coleman stated that Hackett brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience, not just as a practitioner of regenerative agriculture herself, but as a former academic and Minister of State.

“We look forward to working together with the farmers to deliver on the project objectives over the next four years,” he said.

The project will run until the end of 2029.

By working with farmers who are already on their regenerative agriculture journeys, the project provides a great opportunity to examine how regenerative practices can support a more resilient farming model.