Written by: MTU

BBioNets partners MTU and Teagasc, together with the Irish CAP Network, organised a closed event on 14 October 2025 in Co. Wexford as part of Bioeconomy Ireland Week (BIW). This year’s BIW carried the motto “Inspiring local communities for a sustainable, competitive Ireland”. This encouraged both BBioNets and the Irish CAP Network to join forces, as both identified a common gap: few bio-based projects are being submitted to the EIP-AGRI Operational Group (OG) funding call in Ireland.

As this call brought together farmers, foresters, and other stakeholders to co-create practical, innovative solutions for their sector using a bottom-up approach, it was crucial to assess the root cause of this situation to ensure the future sustainability of the Irish circular bioeconomy. For this reason, BBioNets and the Irish CAP Network hosted a double-session event — a conference and workshop — for the members of the Irish Forest and Agriculture Network (FAN), policymakers, applicants to EIP-AGRI OGs, farmers, foresters, and other stakeholders.

Amongst the guest speakers were both national and international experts sharing knowledge on how local communities can come together for a sustainable future. Vita Maria Cristiana Moliterni from CREA, Italy — another BBioNets partner — presented ethe success story of SCARABEO, which grew from a local bio-based EIP-AGRI OG into international projects, and provided recommendations for creating bio-based EIP-AGRI OGs. Maureen Kilgore, Manager of the Irish Agroforestry Forum, discussed the potential of bio-based practices and technologies for her sector. Finally, Anne Maguire, Assistant Principal in the Organics and Locally Led Division at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, encouraged local communities to apply for EIP-AGRI OGs, addressing bottom-up challenges with farmers, industries, researchers, and others.

Following the presentations, a short workshop took place to explore topics of interest, identify current barriers, and begin shaping an action plan to strengthen bio-based EIP-AGRI OGs in Ireland.