The new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project, The Arable Coast Environment, will enhance habitats for wildlife and support sustainable farming across South Cork, Waterford, and Wexford.
IRELAND: A major new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project worth €7 million has been launched to enhance biodiversity on coastal arable farmland from South Cork to Wexford. The project, titled The Arable Coast Environment (ACE), is led by SECAD Partnership CLG and co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023–2027.
Announcing the initiative, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, alongside Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, said the project represents a landmark step toward aligning farming and nature conservation.
Minister Heydon stated, “EIPs are locally led, collaborative projects that put research into practice on farms. The Arable Coast Environment gives farmers an exciting opportunity to develop and test innovative solutions that support vital farmland wildlife like the Hen Harrier, Yellowhammer, Skylark, and Chough.”
Minister O’Sullivan commended the collaboration between farmers, landowners, and local communities across the southern coastline, emphasizing the project’s potential to protect Ireland’s most iconic bird species. “By focusing on flagship species such as the Hen Harrier, co-benefits should be realized across a range of environmental interests, while supporting rural livelihoods,” he said.
The ACE EIP project will identify key biodiversity “hubs” based on proximity to Hen Harrier winter roost sites, secure their long-term conservation, and introduce results-based measures to benefit both farmland birds and small mammals. These actions include creating wild bird cover, maintaining winter stubbles, and strengthening connections between farmers, local producers, and industry.
Over the next four years, the project will also provide comprehensive datasets and recommendations to Irish authorities for scaling up biodiversity-friendly measures across the wider countryside.
Minister Heydon added, “This initiative represents a practical step toward sustainable agriculture that benefits farmers, nature, and rural communities. I look forward to seeing its impact unfold.”
The EIP programme is part of the EU’s CAP framework, which aims to ensure food security, protect the environment, and sustain rural economies through innovation-driven, community-led projects. For more information on the European Innovation Partnership Scheme, visit www.gov.ie.
