A YOUNG farmer has warned that women and young people are being pushed out of knowledge transfer due to new conditions linked to the latest scheme.
The Department of Agriculture has launched the new KT (Knowledge Transfer) scheme that will pay farmers up to €750 per year over a three-year period to participate in a discussion group that meets eight times a year.
The scheme will run from 2024 to 2026.
However, a change has been made to the upcoming scheme’s terms and conditions, meaning the person applying for the Knowledge Transfer scheme must be the herd owner.
Previous schemes did not stress this stipulation, and nominations for attendance were accepted.
According to young farmer Nicole Keohane, this will present a block to female farmers and younger farmers, with many from both these groups not being listed as the herd owner.
‘I’m not listed as a herd owner. As it stands now, I can can’t avail of a KT group,’ she said. ‘This is a huge barrier to education and to sustainability,’ says Nicole, who farms land with her grandparents in Innishannon.
Nicole has been part of a burgeoning discussion group, taking in female farmers from across West Cork. They are considering how to progress as a group, and whether to go down the road of a knowledge transfer group.
‘We found when we asked the 24 women who are members of the discussion group how many would now be entitled to apply for the KT grant. Only eight could apply – 16 of the 24 can’t avail of the KT payment because we are not the herd owners. Even a Teagasc advisor said this has made it extremely difficult.’
Nicole, who is completing a research master’s in SETU and is also working in animal health research, said her women in agriculture discussion group included members from right across West Cork, in areas including Bantry, Leap, and Rosscarbery.
‘This Knowledge Transfer scheme is starting in 2024 and continues until 2026. That means women and young people being excluded from this scheme for the next three years. This is coming at such a challenging time for farmers and where we’re being told that equality and sustainability are two of the key priorities of the Department of Agriculture. At a time when we are being asked to reduce our carbon ceiling, this new round of KT will be inaccessible for active farmers seeking knowledge and guidance on furthering their sustainable farming practice.’
Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard was contacted by Nicole and wrote to Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to highlight the dilemma facing young farmers and female farmers by the new terms and conditions.
‘These changes to the regulations don’t make any sense,’ said the West Cork senator.
‘It’s clearly going to affect younger farmers and female farmers in far great numbers.
‘The deadline for the scheme is November 10th. This isn’t a long burner. It needs action now.’
Nicole is a member of Macra na Feirme and put the question to Mr McConalogue at the Macra Rally in Ballinasloe. Mr McConalogue said he has received correspondence on the matter and would look into it. Nicole said she is also aware of poultry and pig farmers missing out on access to funding because they are not named as herd owners under updated funding terms.
