CAFRE information event to support horticulture innovation
Date published:
Commercial horticulture businesses across Northern Ireland are invited to attend an online information event about the Innovation Driver and Support Horticulture Pilot Scheme.
The scheme is part of DAERA's Sustainable Agriculture Programme and aims to support businesses investing in innovative crops, technologies and production systems that are new to Northern Ireland.
The event will provide growers with an overview of the scheme, application requirements and the support available. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the application process.
Applicants are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest to see if their proposal meets the Scheme’s eligibility criteria. The deadline for Expressions of Interest has been extended to 30 September 2026, and responses will be issued to all applicants after this deadline.
Applicants will then be invited to submit a full application in autumn 2026 and the successful applicants will be selected based on a competitive selection process. Businesses can proceed directly to a full application without submitting an Expression of Interest if they wish.
The online event will take place on Thursday 10 September 2026 at 7:00pm via Microsoft Teams. Details of how to join are available on the CAFRE events webpage.
Promoting the online event, Kieran Lavelle, Senior Adviser at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), said: "This event will help growers understand the Scheme, the application process and the support available. We encourage any business with an innovative idea that is new to Northern Ireland to attend and explore how the scheme could help develop their project."
Further information on the scheme, including guidance on submitting an Expression of Interest, is available on the CAFRE website.
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