Northern Ireland announces £1.7million for new agri-food research

The NI agriculture department has been working in partnership with the Republic of Ireland and the United States to identify opportunities to co-fund research
The NI agriculture department has been working in partnership with the Republic of Ireland and the United States to identify opportunities to co-fund research

Agricultural research institutions in Northern Ireland are to benefit from £1.7 million new funding awarded through a research fund, agriculture minister Michelle McIlveen announced.

The NI agriculture department has been working in partnership with the Republic of Ireland and the United States to identify opportunities to co-fund research in areas of shared priority.

The Agri Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and the Ulster University will receive approximately £1.7million to complete six projects.

Announcing the funding, Michelle McIlveen said: "Science has a vital role in providing our farmers and agri-food industry with a competitive edge in demanding markets. I am therefore pleased to see AFBI, Queen’s and Ulster University, achieving funding awards totalling £1.7million through the Collaborative Research Fund.

"Local scientists, technologists and advisers play an essential part in assisting NI farmers who face the challenges of increasingly competitive agri-food and forestry sectors. Sharing both knowledge and resources through transnational collaboration enhances both the quality of research, and the value derived from DAERA funding."