McConalogue calls for proposals to boost agri-food tourism across Ireland

The Minister for Agriculture is calling for proposals for tourism initiatives related to the agri-food sector. 

Minister Charlie McConalogue made the call yesterday (Monday January 17) for the 2023 Rural Innovation and Development Fund, which offers a maximum payment of €25,000 to any one agri-food project from total funding worth €300,000.

According to the Department of Agriculture, agri-food tourism includes a wide variety of activities involving the links between agriculture and the food produced at local or regional level.

This may involve staying on a farm, touring food trails, and participation in agricultural endeavours. 

Minister McConalogue said, "There are many natural symmetries between tourism and the agri-food sector – they complement each other well. 2022 proved a difficult year for the Agri Food industry. Building a business post-COVID-19 has been challenging.

"We are delighted to be in a position to continue to provide support towards the development of agri-food tourism initiatives which will help rural businesses to develop their products and services, connect with the community and visitors and improve the rural experience." 

The minister continued: "One of the key actions in this strategy is to continue to develop linkages between local food and tourism offerings, including support for business development and marketing initiatives to support and promote food and drink visitor attractions including the distillery, brewery and tourism sector. 

"Ireland’s agri-food sector is engrained in the fabric of Irish society and is one of the main drivers of our economy, especially in rural and coastal areas.” 

The closing date for receipt of applications is 12pm noon on February 23, 2023. 

Applications should be made via the Call for Proposals application form available here.