Research & Innovation

Teagasc, the national body responsible for providing research, advisory and training services to the Irish agri-food sector, and TNO, the Dutch technological innovation centre, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU, which builds on a long-standing relationship between Teagasc and TNO in delivering EU Framework research contracts, provides for collaboration in research and knowledge transfer across a broad range of priority areas.

In particular, the new MoU will focus on jointly developing the area of Smart Dairy Farming, drawing on TNO’s expertise and experience in developing the Dutch Smart Dairy Farming project, which resulted in the first data hub in the dairy farming sector (https://www.join-data.nl/), open for all parties active in dairy farming.

Teagasc has recently secured a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)-funded Research Centre-Vista Milk- to develop a Smart Irish dairy farming system by developing and deploying new knowledge, new technologies and new decision support tools to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire dairy production chain in Ireland, learning from the experience in that area from TNO.  Further collaboration will focus on the training of PhD and Postdocs students.  Finally, both parties will investigate a joint strategy for participating in future EU projects.  The Netherlands Embassy in Ireland initiated and supported the development of the current collaboration between the parties.

Speaking at the signing, the Ambassador HE Adriaan Palm stated: “Both TNO and Teagasc are pioneers in the agri-industry.  We are dedicated to promote the partnership between these quality knowledge institutions.  The embassy encourages and facilitates expansion of on-going collaboration in the fields of agriculture, sustainability and innovation between Ireland and the Netherlands.”

In welcoming the new partnership with TNO, Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc, said: “The strengthening of our relationship with TNO will greatly help Teagasc in ensuring that we can develop the Vista Milk SFI Research Centre as a world leading centre for innovative precision pasture-based dairying and help leading the Irish agri-food technology sector through innovation and enhanced sustainability across the dairy supply chain.”

CAPTION:

Pictured at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Teagasc and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) are, from left: Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc; Ir. Berry Vetjens, Director of Markets, TNO; and HE Adriaan Palm, the Dutch Ambassador to Ireland.