Publication
Irish Bioeconomy Forum 2.0 (2024 to 2025)
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Ireland’s first Bioeconomy Action Plan was published in October 2023. Action 1.3 of this Plan details a specific objective to renew the Irish Bioeconomy Forum for the period of the Action Plan (up to 2025) and to develop and implement an annual operational work programme for the group.
DAFM and DECC, as the lead stakeholders for this task, worked to re-establish the Forum in Q1 of 2024. Firstly, all past members of the Forum and Expert Advisory Group were invited to re-join the Forum. In addition to inviting previous members, DAFM and DECC sought new members to the Forum and, in February 2024, launch an Expression of Interest .
The first meeting of the renewed Irish Bioeconomy Forum took place in Backweston Laboratory Campus on 04 March 2024. The Forum now comprises 52 members, while the Expert Advisory group is made up of 19 members. The work of the Forum is supported by a Chairperson, two vice-Chairs and a Steering Group.
An Operational Framework and Annual Work Programme for the Forum was agreed by members following the first meeting in March. In summary the 2024 work programme for the Forum consisted of:
1. three Forum meetings to be held in March, June and September.
2. an international bioeconomy study tour.
3. three working group activities.
Based on feedback from members, the three working group activities were to Focus on:
1. Development of a bio-industrial network in Ireland.
2. Bioeconomy demonstration activities
3. Bioeconomy & climate action
The focus of this activity considers the potential for the development of a bio-industrial network in Ireland to aid the examination of biobased innovation opportunities through harnessing such a network.
Research indicates that leaders who find and mobilize innovation catalysts, by embedding themselves in close-knit yet diverse communities outside their own organisation, stand a better chance of discovering and scaling novel and available ideas that are feasible.
In doing so, this activity is considering the role that the bioeconomy can play in the following:
• Bioeconomy as an aid to strengthening competitive advantage (e.g. investment in skills, innovation), through utilising enterprise policy & its instruments.
• Bioeconomy as an emerging growth sector and as an investment in the net zero transition due to its to ability to secure economic opportunities and its green practice and technology potential.
• Bioeconomy as an aid to strengthen national economic resilience in areas from sustainable carbon supply chains to key commodities and beyond (e.g., proteins, nutrients, biobased chemicals and materials).
To support this activity, an online workshop was arranged for Forum members on 17 May 2024 to gather feedback.
Upon conclusion of this activity, the Forum will present a scoping paper, on the development of a bio-industrial network in Ireland, to the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group.
The Bioeconomy Action Plan includes a high-level action to develop bioeconomy demonstration initiatives in Ireland. This action appears under Pillar 4 of the Plan which centres around on Agriculture, Food, Forestry & the Marine.
On foot of funding opportunities of over €19 million that have been offered by DAFM in 2023 and 2024 through the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative and Shared Island Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative , Forum members have commenced a process of examining further opportunities for bioeconomy demonstration activities. This includes consideration that bioeconomy demonstration initiatives don’t just encompass Agriculture, Food, Forestry & the Marine, but also cover a broader breadth of activities.
To support this activity, an online workshop was arranged for Forum members on 19 September 2024 to gather feedback. A presentation from this workshop can be viewed below.
Upon conclusion of this activity, the Forum will present a scoping paper, around further opportunities for the development of bioeconomy demonstration activities, to the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group.
Towards the end of 2024, the Forum will be looking at the relationship between the bioeconomy and environmental sustainability and will be examining the role of the bioeconomy as a key enabler of climate action.
Members of the Irish Bioeconomy Forum, the Bioeconomy Implementation and Development Group, and other invited organisations, participated in an Irish Bioeconomy Study Tour to Denmark. The study tour took place across three days, between 18 to 20 June 2024.
• The objectives of this study tour included, among other things:
• To raise awareness of the bioeconomy and demonstrate the 'bioeconomy in action'.
• To develop bioeconomy networking and sharing of knowledge and innovation.
• To develop thought leadership and direction of travel on the bioeconomy.
• To discuss opportunities for, and barriers towards, collaboration and engagement for long-term bioeconomy development.
The study tour gave insights across the value chain, from Applied Research and Innovation, to Pilot Scale activities, to Large-scale, Commercial operations. Topics included anaerobic digestion & biomethane, biorefineries and biochar, as well as insights to bioeconomy policy, innovation, co-operative structures and clustering.
A summary note from this study tour can be viewed hereunder. If you would like to request a copy of any of the accompanying documents (as per the summary note), please email research@agriculture.gov.ie .