Minister Heydon announces Request for Tenders for Social Farming Network project
- Published on: 28 March 2025
- Last updated on: 31 March 2025
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has announced a competitive public procurement procedure seeking proposals from service providers to develop a national social farming network for the next five years.
Social farming is the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment as a choice to people who avail of a range of therapeutic day support services.
To support the development of the social farming network, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is providing funding of €900,000 under the 2025 Rural Innovation and Development Fund with an option to extend the contract for a further 4 years.
Commenting, Minister Heydon, said:
“I am pleased to announce my department has issued this request for tender. Social farming is an exciting and successful venture that has many benefits. It’s an initiative which fosters inclusion amongst disadvantaged groups and allows participants build self-esteem and improve health and well-being. When operating from a working family farm, these initiatives support farm diversification and help farmers connect with the wider community.”
Applications are being encouraged by service providers with experience in social farming, who have the capability and vision to develop the national social farming network.
The tender has been posted on the eTenders website (CFT 5327575 - A Social Farming Network) with a closing date of 1pm on 28 April 2025.