Farming For Nature is a non-profit independent project that comes under the governance of registered charity Burrenbeo Trust. We rely on funding and grants to carry out our programmes. Please find our current funders here.
We divide our 20 programmes across these areas:
- NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
- KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
- INFORMATION PROVISION
- ACTION FOR NATURE
- ADVOCACY
- PARTNERSHIPS
- RESEARCH
- ORGANISATION
Click of any of the above to go straight there or scroll all the information below.
NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
We are building, promoting and supporting an active network of exemplary farmers, these Ambassadors are covering all farming systems, land types and counties in Ireland.
How are we doing this?
- Source, screen, select and promote 12-16 new FFN Ambassadors each year.
- Host the annual National Ambassador Awards so all FFN Ambassadors are publicly acknowledged and accredited for their work.
- Deliver a public awareness campaign each year around these new FFN Ambassadors to introduce them to the wider public.
- Provide an induction pack and advice to all new FFN Ambassadors on how they can engage with FFN and with other farmers, communities, media etc.
- Host 2 annual networking days for our FFN Ambassadors to enable introductions, knowledge-sharing, debate and upskilling.
- Develop peer-support opportunities for FFN Ambassadors so they can take more ownership, for example by supporting each other at farm walks, public events etc.
- Develop the ‘FFN Ambassador’ brand, encouraging our FFN Ambassadors to representing the organisation going forward.
- Support the network through training so that they can mentor other farmers that are looking to transition to more nature friendly practices.
- Review and update the FFN Ambassador network annually – its participants, its principles, its goals and its impact.
- Showcase the network as a whole as much as possible so that the public grasp the diversity of farmers and farming systems involved and get a more positive sense of the potential of farmers to address our environmental crises.
- Support EU and UK partners who wish to establish their own Farming for Nature Ambassador Programmes and explore opportunities for cross-cultural exchange.
More here on:
The European Ambassador Network
How you can support the network (coming soon)
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
We provide as many different types of opportunities for the FFN Ambassador network to directly engage with other farmers across Ireland who aspire to farm for nature.
How are we doing this?
- Share FFN Ambassador stories, advice and innovations through
- bespoke videos,
- podcasts,
- online webinars,
- on-line discussion fora and
- other ‘easy to digest’ formats including animations, illustrations, calendars, webpages etc.
- Organise a series of farm walks on FFN Ambassador farms to that other farmers can see firsthand what farming for nature looks like and ask their peers about their experience.
- Support more one-to-one, peer-to-peer mentorship programme between FFN Ambassadors and other farmers through ‘The Horses Mouth’ initiative.
More here on:
INFORMATION PROVISION
We aim to improve the information available to the farming community by harvesting, supplementing and sharing the knowledge of our FFN Ambassador network for other farmers across Ireland who aspire to farm for nature.
How are we doing this?
- Develop and share online practical resources on best practice regarding farming for nature and for climate through our website.
- Develop and share resources on the best practices regarding farming for nature with tips from the farmers through our publications.
- Share other relevant practical research, guidance and learning opportunities around farming for nature with Irish farmers through our social media channels.
- Bring out a quarterly newsletter sharing the work and events around the farming for nature network.
More here on:
Farming For Nature Complete HANDBOOK (coming soon)
ACTION FOR NATURE
We provide advice and support to our extended network so that they can take direct action for nature on their land.
How are we doing this?
- Provide capital funding and advice from professionals (ecologists, hydrologists) each year to farmers from our extended network to build ponds, create heritage orchards and ecological corridors (working with The Hare’s Corner initiative).
- Share these actions as educational and inspirational case studies for what other farmers and landowners can do on their land to help nature.
More here on:
ADVOCACY
We aim to build a more informed and engaged public by highlighting the positive role that farmers can play in providing a range of key ecosystem services for wider society at a time of environmental crisis.
How are we doing this?
- Share FFN Ambassador stories, advice and innovations through mainstream farmer friendly media outlets (newspapers, radio, tv etc) – at a local and national level.
- Partner with National organisations to generate new mechanisms through which FFN resources may be delivered to new users (e.g. Green Cert courses, ACRES training)
- Help connect farmers that can farm for nature with farmers that want to farm for nature.
- Continue to review the impact of all awareness-raising efforts and adapt accordingly.
- Place FFN Ambassadors at public events where they can represent their network to a (new) general audience – festivals, agricultural shows, conferences etc.
- Maintain and enhance our presence, and audiences, on social media.
- Explore ways to build active geographical networks to encourage more localised change.
- Engage with partners in targeted campaigns around relevant topics such as promoting local, seasonal food; minimising food waste etc.
- Develop an educational programme that can be delivered in schools and in postschool environments.
- Continue to prepare and share quarterly newsletters with our community.
More here on:
PARTNERSHIPS
We wish to build broader and deeper partnerships at a national and EU level by engaging meaningfully with relevant and respected actors in the agricultural and environmental space so that we can do our work more efficiently and effectively.
How are we doing this?
- Engage more closely with our core funders to add value to our relationship, for example by helping us disseminate FFN materials and promote FFN Ambassadors.
- Support similar organisations/initiatives by sharing their events with our network.
- Build alliances with other key farming groups, governmental agencies and environmental organisations who may help us connect with new audiences and provide a more convincing consensus.
- Support other farming organisations by finding out their needs to tackle barriers to change and identify ways to help them address these.
- Engage in group exchanges where visiting groups from other organisations and countries can visit FFN Ambassador farms.
- Engage with, and support, likeminded groups internationally that want to develop similar farmer-centred initiatives.
- Build partnerships with agricultural colleges to try and include more FFN content in these curriculums. Explore options to organise FFN farm walks in conjunction with some of these colleges/green cert students.
More here on:
The European Ambassador network
POLICY
We wish to see more supportive policies so are advocating on behalf of ‘farmers for nature’ at a national and international level.
How are we doing this?
- Promote result-based payment systems – which reward those farmers who deliver most for nature – at a National and International level.
- Participate in relevant initiatives (e.g., strategic planning), and engage with relevant partners, so that we can advocate for better support for farming for nature.
- Support international partners (e.g., through advice, resources) in their efforts to promote nature-friendly farming and build farmer-centred support networks.
- Work with other ENGOs to help shape more informed and impactful policies around farmland biodiversity.
More here on:
Our FFN TECHNICAL GROUP (coming soon)
RESEARCH
We wish to create more innovative solutions to farming for nature so promote, support and engage in relevant research projects which help inform our work and that of our target farming audience.
How are we doing this?
- Collaborate with relevant partners to engage directly (as partners) in research projects (e.g., Interreg, Horizon) which will help support and inform the work of FFN.
- Contribute to research projects which are meaningful and relevant – directly through our team and resources or via our FFN Ambassadors.
- Identify key research questions from our FFN Ambassador network and share/promote these with relevant research institutions.
More here on:
Contact us with your research queries
ORGANISATION
We try to be an impactful, resilient, inclusive, independent and respected actor in achieving a more sustainable future for farming and nature throughout Ireland.
How are we doing this?
- Secure sustainable sources of funding to enable medium-long term recruitment, planning and action.
- Support our staff and their professional development.
- Ensure good governance, compliance, transparency and accountability.
- Report to our funders quarterly on the impact of their funding.
- Value, acknowledge and continually appraise our funders, executive committee, judges, ambassadors and other voluntary supporters.
- Build the FFN brand, so it is more widely recognisable and valued as a reliable source of accurate, impartial information and advice.
- Plan strategically and realistically, but evolve and adapt as necessary.
- Continue to work within the governance and structure of FFN’s umbrella organisation, Burrenbeo Trust, a national landscape charity based in Co. Galway.
More here on:
OUR GOVERNANCE & POLICIES (coming soon)
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR ORGANISATION (coming soon)
