Dairy Deep Demo

Over a six-month period, a BWL-Dairy group contributed with a ‘landscape perspective’ on the future of sustainable dairy sector in Ireland. This was one of four workstreams in the ‘activation phase’ of the Dairy Flagship part of the DAFM (The Department for Agriculture, Food and Marine) and EIT Climate KIC (CKIC) Deep Demonstration initiative to determine the future of sustainable food and agriculture in Ireland (external link here). The landscape perspective was not originally included in the design of the Flagship, and we are grateful for the opportunity to influence its inclusion.

We built on our pre-existing network in the bioregion and started by meeting farmers in person on farm and online for deep-dive dialogues. We then gathered for three in-person workshops, four online events and had many email exchanges.

Dairy is the dominant, and often intensive, sector in our bioregion so the insights from this work were important to the bioregions future. We were pleased to see elements of the 4 Returns influence the overall vision of the Flagship – in fact the whole framing seemed to adopt the 4 Returns approach based on Commonland framework and the need to include inspiration to achieve transformation.

The BWL Dairy group will continue to work through a BWL Dairy Circle now the activation is completed.

Final insights and synthesis report

“A Landscape Approach to the Future of Dairy in Ireland” is a fascinating and deep final synthesis report with recommendations and systems analysis (Feb 2024) Read here for all the new knowledge and findings generated by the BWL Diary group.

Sub-reports (in reverse chronological order)

Are there farmer ‘typologies’ or is it more complex than that? (Jan 2024) Read here to learn of the new approach to typologising farmers based on their farm type, their own changemaker journey and their current status regarding 4 Losses and 4 Returns.
Co-visioning the future of the system around the dairy sector: what losses are being felt and what returns can we aim for? (Dec 2023) Read here
A look at the current and future systems (4D modelling) and the emerging evidence of new systems and innovations for the future we aspire to (three horizons). Impact pathway identification – education, routes to market, nutrition and holistic approaches. (Oct 2023) Read here