TEAGASC - AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Their core work

Teagasc is Ireland's national authority for agriculture and food development, combining research, advisory services, and training to support farmers and the agri-food industry. They specialize in translating agricultural science into practical on-farm solutions — from livestock genetics and grassland management to food processing technology and safety. With deep expertise in dairy, meat, and crop systems, they serve as a bridge between EU-funded research and the realities of European farming, particularly in areas like sustainable intensification, animal health, and the bioeconomy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), Teagasc focused on broad agricultural sustainability, bioeconomy commercialization, greenhouse gas monitoring (ERA-GAS as coordinator), and building innovation support networks for farmers. From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward more science-intensive topics: microbiome research, molecular biology, food science and technology, and digital/smart farming with data interoperability. This reflects a move from policy-and-network coordination toward deeper bench science and technology-driven agriculture.

Teagasc is pivoting from agricultural policy coordination toward data-driven and microbiome-based approaches to food production and animal health — making them an increasingly attractive partner for precision agriculture and food tech projects.

How they like to work

Teagasc operates overwhelmingly as a consortium partner (76 of 89 projects), bringing domain expertise rather than leading project management. With 1,130 unique partners across 57 countries, they are a major network hub in European agriculture — few organizations in this sector can match their connectivity. Their heavy use of CSA (32 projects) and multi-actor approaches shows they excel at bridging research communities, farmer networks, and policymakers rather than operating in isolated lab settings.

With 1,130 unique consortium partners across 57 countries, Teagasc has one of the most extensive collaboration networks in European agricultural research. Their reach spans well beyond Europe into Africa (PROIntensAfrica) and China (EU-China-Safe), reflecting their role as a globally connected agri-food authority.

What sets them apart

Teagasc is rare in being both a national agricultural authority and a prolific EU research participant — they can deploy research results directly into Ireland's farming sector through their advisory services. Their 89-project portfolio gives them an unmatched breadth across the entire food chain, from soil and grassland to livestock genetics to food processing and consumer safety. For consortium builders, partnering with Teagasc means gaining access to real-world farm networks and rapid dissemination pathways that most academic partners cannot offer.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ERA-GAS
  Coordinator of an ERA-NET Cofund on greenhouse gas monitoring and mitigation in agriculture and forestry — one of their largest coordinated efforts at EUR 176K.
• EU-China-Safe
  Major international food safety partnership between EU and China covering food fraud, authenticity, and consumer confidence — EUR 342K budget reflects significant commitment.
• GenTORE
  Large-scale project (EUR 375K to Teagasc) on genomic tools for livestock resilience and efficiency, combining precision livestock technology with multi-breed genetic analysis.