Commercial horticulture businesses in Northern Ireland can attend an online information event on Thursday 20 August at 7pm to learn about the Innovation Driver and Support Horticulture Pilot Scheme.

The event, hosted on MS Teams, will provide an overview of the scheme and the application process. It is aimed at growers who want to develop or adopt innovative ideas that are new to Northern Ireland.

Kieran Lavelle, Senior Adviser at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), said the session will explain how the scheme can help bring innovative concepts from idea to implementation. Attendees can ask questions and gain a clearer understanding of the requirements.

The pilot scheme is offered by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). It aims to encourage innovation in commercial horticulture by supporting exploration of new systems, technologies and crops that could improve productivity, sustainability and competitiveness.

Applications are delivered in two stages. An Expression of Interest phase remains open until Friday 4 September 2026 and will assess industry interest and eligibility. A full application process will follow in the autumn. The expression of interest form and further information are available on the CAFRE website, along with access details for the online event.