MTU to host rural life and farming workshop next month

A free public workshop exploring the future of rural life and farming in Ireland will be held on Friday 20 February at Munster Technological University’s (MTU) Bishopstown Campus.

Strengthening Rural Life: From Farm to Community will feature “policymakers, farmers, educators, innovators, community leaders and interested members of the public”, said a spokesperson.

It will examine how Ireland’s rural communities can remain socially vibrant, economically resilient and future-focused in the face of significant policy and structural change.

The workshop will provide a platform for open discussion on how farming “can continue to sustain not only food production, but community life itself”, particularly across the south-west region.

The event will be broken up into three panel sessions, covering the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); how balancing specialisation and diversification can strengthen local economies; and consider the future of farming, including new educational pathways and technological opportunities.

The workshop will also feature a keynote address from Billy Kelleher MEP, who will aim to “provide insight into emerging EU policy directions”, said a spokesperson.

Dr Declan O’Connor, Senior Lecturer at MTU, said the CAP plays “a significant role in shaping the rural landscape and beyond. Current indications point to significant changes to this policy post-2027”.

“This workshop will allow all interested parties to gain an understanding of current proposals and to discuss the potential outcomes of these changes in an open and honest environment,” Dr O’Connor said.

The event is funded by the Irish Dairy Centre of Vocational Excellence (DairyCoVE), an EU-wide initiative focused on strengthening vocational education and training within the dairy and wider agri-food sector.

MTU is an Irish partner in the project, which is led nationally by University College Cork.

Dr David Goulding, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs in the Faculty of Science and Informatics at MTU said that the workshop will provide an opportunity to help shape our education and training provision while also ensuring that the DairyCoVe project remains “responsive, relevant and community-driven”.