Lárionad Acmhainní Nádúrtha CTR, an Údarás na Gaeltachta client in the Donegal Gaeltacht, will form part of a €3.1m research project to diversify plant-protein production across the island of Ireland.
The Protein-I project, which will be part-based in Falcarragh, aims to co-design pathways to support sustainable value chains that also benefit rural communities.
Funding for this new initiative, will take a food-systems approach to enhancing the sustainability of protein production across the country, was announced by the Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue this week.
Protein-I will bring together six research organisations – UCD, Teagasc, NUI Galway, UCC, Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast.
Through Protein-I Professor Fiona Doohan, Prof Lorraine Brennan and their colleagues at UCD will lead the project and collaborate with LAN CTR in the Gaeltacht area of Falcarragh using the results of the project to benefit farmers, local businesses and communities in the northwest region of Ireland.
The project will focus on plant production through to human health, while paying particular attention to the development of Ireland’s rural bio-economy.
