The Knowledge Transfer Programme (KT) is a three year scheme worth €750 per year to each farmer. The scheme is designed in such a way as to ensure the farmer and advisor engage in one to one discussion on key aspects of a farmers’ business such as profitability, environmental sustainability, breeding and herd health. As experiences to date have shown that there are significant benefits to group meetings each participant will be required to attend a minimum of 5 knowledge exchange meetings/4 meetings and one national event, facilitated by a DAFM approved advisor.
The objectives of the Programme are:
- to Provide support for high quality and targeted advice to farmers, delivered by professional agricultural advisors with the appropriate experience and expertise (KT Facilitators).
- to build on the previous Knowledge Transfer Programme and contribute to the wider development and functioning of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS).
- The intervention will be based on support for the implementation of Knowledge Transfer Groups, which will facilitate the delivery of targeted knowledge and skills, drawing on the expertise of the KT Facilitators running the Groups as well as allowing for shared learning between the farmers in the Groups.
- Increase KT Participants and KT Facilitators understanding of topics such as biodiversity, water quality, air quality, climate change including bioeconomy, soil health, animal health & welfare, farm management, integrated approaches to farming and forestry, digital and smart technologies, research, and innovation, EIP-AGRI operational group developments, financial management and succession planning.
- Ensure that the Irish agricultural sector remains resilient and to provide for further development of the national AKIS.
- KT Participant Eligibility Criteria and Requirements
To be eligible to participate in a Knowledge Transfer Group, participants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria: - The Participants must be aged eighteen years or over.
- The Participant must have an active Business ID e.g., Herd Number, Registered Farm Partnership or Company ID registered with the Department to participate in the Programme.
- The Participant must have submitted a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application in 2023. They must also submit a BISS application to the Department on a yearly basis for each year of the Programme (2024 – 2026).
- The Participant’s KT Facilitator must also be authorised as the BISS agent for the Participant (however there is no obligation on the Participant to have the KT Facilitator submit their BISS application on their behalf).
- The Participant must provide their KT Facilitator with their bank details in order to facilitate reimbursement to the Participant via Electronic Fund Transfer by the KT Facilitator.
- Participants shall apply for the Programme using the herd number under which their BISS application is made, except for Registered Farm Partnership. Where participants are members of a Registered Farm Partnership (RFP), applications must be made under the individual herd numbers. For single herd partnership, one Participant can apply. For multi-herd partnerships, the number of Participants will be determined by the number of herd numbers.
- A Participant can participate in a maximum of one Knowledge Transfer Group for the three-year duration of the Programme.
- Participants cannot transfer between Knowledge Transfer Groups for the duration of the Programme.
Participants in the Programme shall be required for each year of the Programme to attend: - EIGHT Knowledge Transfer Group meetings including FOUR on Priority KT Topics (see Annex 3) and FOUR based on local need(s) as determined by the Group (see Annex 2), to include at least ONE meeting from the list of Priority KT Topics delivered by an External Expert,
AND - ONE one-to-one meeting between KT Facilitator and each Group Participant in each year of the Programme.
The Participant must work with their KT Facilitator at their one-to-one meetings to set out their goals for the Programme and report on progress in relation to same. This will also incorporate an element of evaluation of the Programme. It will be by way of completion of an online form during each of the one-to-one meetings, which should be completed by the KT Facilitator in conjunction with the Participant. This will ensure that each farmer’s progress is reviewed as the intervention proceeds.
- Year 1, one to one meeting will set out the overall goals/objectives, the form must be submitted by 31 March 2024.
- Year 2, one to one meeting will assess progress and review goals, the form must be submitted by 30 June 2025, and
- Year 3, one to one meeting will include an evaluation and assessment of the Participant’s goals and the overall KT Group, the form must be submitted by 31 December 2026.Carton Rural Consultants have set up groups and acting as facilitators all over the midlands and farmers will be able to join a discussion group in their local area and increase the profitability on their own farm as a result.
Note the Knowledge Transfer Scheme is currently closed for applications.
For further details of the KT Scheme, email info@cartonrc.ie