The IIEA and the Centre for Advance Sustainable Energy Research (CASE) at QUB are pleased to announce a joint project entitled All-Island Pathways, which is supported by the Shared Island Civil Society fund of the Government of Ireland.

The project, which will run until the end of 2026, is a research and dialogue initiative that brings together farmers, advisers, policymakers, researchers and civil society from Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will examine shared challenges and opportunities as the agricultural sector responds to its climate commitments, changing markets and the emerging bioeconomy.

For the island of Ireland, agriculture is at the heart of rural economies, livelihoods and cultural identity. Yet, the sector is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions in both jurisdictions of the island. As environmental and agricultural policy frameworks diverge in the post-Brexit era, the case for considered, cross-border dialogue on the future of farming has never been stronger.

A just transition in agriculture on the island of Ireland requires the perspectives of those most exposed to the consequences of change in order to inform decision-making  and ensure that those who are traditionally least represented in the process are not further marginalised. Thus, this project will seek to highlight the voices of young farmers, women in agriculture, economically marginalised smallholders and those disengaged from existing policy structures.

The project will bring together a broad partnership of primary producers, representative bodies, research institutions and civil society organisations from across the island.  In the course of 2026, it will examine four interconnected themes:

• the potential of an all-island bioeconomy as a driver of rural innovation;
• sustainable agricultural practices and the shift toward systems-level transition;
• barriers to market access and financial supports for new entrants;
• cross-border knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning.

The project will culminate in a published policy paper setting out findings and recommendations for government, industry and civil society on both sides of the border.

If you would like to learn more about the project, or if you believe you or your organisation would be a suitable fit for our upcoming workshops in 2026, please contact:

Dr Matthew O’Neill, Project Lead, IIEA: [email protected]

Andrew Gilmore, Director of Operations, IIEA  [email protected]

The initiative is in collaboration with The Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE) at Queen’s University Belfast. More information about CASE can be found here: https://case-research.net/

The project is supported by the Irish Government's Shared Island initiative. More information about the Shared Island initiative can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/campaigns/shared-island/