Some 16 projects that aim to promote local food for the benefit of farmers and primary producers have been awarded funding by the Department of Agriculture.

Announcing the successful applications, many of whom are farmers, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett said this call for funding promotes short supply chains and premium sustainable markets closer to home for Irish farmers and producers.

“Short supply chains bolster local economies and also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing transportation emissions.

“Shortening the distance from farm to fork has real potential to foster greater connection between consumers and producers and a greater appreciation of where our food comes from and the work that goes into producing it,” she said.

Minister Hackett added that there were over 90 applications, with the 16 successful projects benefiting from funding over the next two years.

“The number of applications shows the appetite around the country for projects of this nature and the very many ideas that are out there.

“The successful projects are diverse, ranging from community allotments and markets to supporting the redistribution of food and reducing waste.

“We will also see the foundations laid for Ireland’s first ever biodistrict as a result of this funding and I am looking forward to seeing these projects deliver meaningful results and impetus for change over the next two years,” she added.

Successful projects

FoodCloud

Project name: FoodCloud Hub and Host project.

Address: Broomhill Business Park, 8 Broomhill Rd, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

About project: FoodCloud is currently developing the hub and host project. This will enhance our retail and hubs solutions further. This will help us to deliver impact in hard-to-reach communities and work towards our strategic objective of redistributing as much food as possible.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €75,000.

Limerick Community Grocery CLG

Project name: Bringing Organic Home.

Address: The Urban Co-op, Unit 8, Eastway Business Park, Ballysimon Rd, Limerick.

About project: A farm-to-fork novel opportunity to showcase organic food in an institutional daycare setting using a pop-up approach linking social farm produce through to the convivial consumption.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €40,000.

Foroige

Project name: Assumpta Park green, youth educational urban forest, community garden and nature play area.

Address: Office 1 Market Yard, Newcastle West, Co Limerick.

About project: Develop public green space in Assumpta Park, Newcastle West, for local youth and residents for food growing and biodiversity.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €15,000.

Feighcullen Farms Ltd

Project name: Automation of on-farm poultry abattoir.

Address: Feighcullen, Rathangan, Co Kildare.

About project: This project is to automate our on-farm EU-licensed abattoir to expand our own poultry business and supply free-range poultry products to the market and offer a processing facility to other organic and conventional poultry producers.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €120,000.

Street Feast CLG

Project name: Our Shared Plate.

Address: Neighbourhood Network, The Old Corner House, Main Street.

About project: Our Shared Plate (phase 2) supports neighbourhoods to grow, cook and eat together.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €100,000.

Transition Town Kinsale

Project name: Kinsale Sustainable Community Garden.

Address: The Clock Cottage, The Doon, Dunderrow, Kinsale, Co Cork.

About project: The aim of this project is to establish a community garden that will provide the community with sustainably produced local food while also serving as a knowledge hub and education centre, supporting and encouraging citizens to begin producing more food at home.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €90,000.

Comharchumann Forbartha

Project name: Meitheal Orgánach Mhúscraí.

Address: Mhúscraí, Páirc Ghnó Bhéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Co Chorcaí.

About project: Meitheal Orgánach is a farmer-led group intent on making organic hill sheep farming work for their area in a way that makes financial and sustainable sense.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €40,000.

Bia Dingle

Project name: Bia Dingle Marketplace.

Address: Corca Dhuibhne Food Network, c/o An Mhuirioch, Baile na nGall, Dingle, Co Kerry.

About project: The establishment of an all-year-round Bia Dingle Marketplace, a place for food stakeholders to convene, engage, learn and transact.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €40,000.

West Limerick Resources CLG

Project name: laying the foundations for a midwest bio district.

Address: St Mary’s Road, Newcastle West, Co Limerick.

About project: Establish, formalise, digitise and prepare the foundations for the formation of a midwest bio-district.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €104,000.

Spraoi agus Spórt

Project name: Local Roots – a sustainable marketplace.

Address: Supervalu SC, Carndonagh, Co Donegal.

About project: Local Roots – a sustainable marketplace seeks to establish a local growers’ network, supplier market, and social supermarket through Carndonagh Garden Centre & Nursery.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €120,000.

Irish Organic Milk Suppliers Co-op (IOMS)

Project name: growing Ireland’s organic dairy sector - a collaborative and sustainable supply chain.

Address: 1 Main St, Balla, Co Mayo.

About project: The project aims to develop a high-performing organic dairy sector, supporting Ireland's goal to increase organic sales from €200m to €750m.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €60,000.

Brill

Project name: Waterford Farmers Market and Family Farm.

Address: Family Resource Centre, @thecampus, Ballybeg, Waterford.

About project: Develop our community allotments from 18 allotments to 33 allotments and provide 15 mini–family growing areas. Develop a farmers' market where we can sell our produce and produce from local producers straight to the community.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €16,000.

Green Skibbereen CECAS

Project name: Ithir - community garden and shop.

Address: Myross Wood House, Leap, Cork.

About project: The Ithir project will establish a community produce shop in the heart of west Cork.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €40,000.

Newbard Farm

Project name: planning and consultation phase for multi-species meat processing facility.

Address: Cooladalane Lower, Lismore, Co Waterford.

About project: the proposal seeks funding for the planning and consultation phase of a multi-species meat processing facility in Lismore.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €24,000.

Cloughjordan Community Farm

Project name: expansion of north Tipperary online farmers' market to Nenagh.

Address: North Tipperary Green Enterprise Park, Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary.

About project: this project will expand north Tipperary online farmers’ market to the significant population centre of Nenagh.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €16,000.

Derrybeg Farm CSA

Project name: Derrybeg Farm CSA - a resilient and innovative model for sustainable organic food production.

Address: Derrybeg Farm CSA, Maynooth Rd, Moortown, Celbridge, Co Kildare.

About project: Derrybeg Farm CSA - building a new model for short supply chain, sustainable and resilient organic vegetable production in Ireland.

Total funding 2025 and 2026: €20,000.