Queens University Belfast are leading an exciting new project, "Net Zero Enterprise – Exploring the business opportunities for farms", to explore opportunities for government, businesses, academia and communities to work together in delivering net zero climate change objectives. The project will seek to draw out new business opportunities from the relationship between farming, natural resources, industry, public services and communities that exist in different forms across Northern Ireland. It aims to encourage a collaborative approach, breaking down silos and combining skills sets and resources in new enterprising ways to deliver against the requirements of net zero by 2050. They are currently exploring the development of Net Zero Co-operatives and a Net Zero Skills Academy. You can hear what the leaders of the project have to say about it here and read more about the project launch here.

Given the importance of farming to the Northern Ireland economy, its associated natural resources and skill base they are particularly keen to hear from farm businesses about their ideas on potential opportunities in their area for delivering net zero. This could be through re-purposing organic waste materials off the farm or re-distributing excess heat and power through a local network. It could mean exploring opportunities for shorter more circular supply chains, resource and equipment sharing or connecting communities with their natural environment through farming activity that sequesters carbon and so on. Crucially it is about breaking down conventional silos between businesses, sectors and society and discovering the opportunities from communities coming together in their local area to identify new ways of working.

We will be hosting our next online GatherIN on Wednesday 30th March with the team from Queens to share and discuss potential ideas from farms in the GrowIN network. Any ideas with potential could quickly be accelerated by the team at Queens through funding for training, development and mentoring. In the meantime, do share any ideas you may have in the forum. No idea is a bad idea. You never know where it might lead…