Kildare County Council secures funding for Agri-Food Tourism Projects
Kildare County Council has welcomed the announcement today by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue confirming €25,000 in funding to support the Council’s agri-food tourism projects. The funding is made available under the 2022 Rural Innovation and Development Fund through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The €25,000 in funding will support the implementation of activities outlined in Kildare County Council’s Food, Beverage and Hospitality strategy and will allow the Flavours of Kildare Food Network members to strengthen food business connections, build confidence in their offering and increase sales in the industry.
The Flavours of Kildare Food Network was formally established to develop and harness the ‘collective’ power and to ensure that Kildare’s unique food heritage benefits from the attention it deserves. The establishment of the network was one of the key objectives under the Kildare Food, Beverage and Hospitality strategy which Kildare County Council developed in conjunction with key stakeholders within the sectors. With the financial and logistical support of Kildare County Council and Kildare LEO, the Flavours of Kildare Food Network has appointed a network co-ordinator to support the development of the network
Head of Enterprise and Economic Development, Jacqui McNabb said “We are really pleased to have secured this funding for the Flavours of Kildare network. The food sector is one of the 8 key areas of focus under our Kildare 2025 Economic Development Strategy that will contribute to the future economic success of the county. This funding will allow us to ensure that we continue to promote and support our innovative businesses in the food and drink sector in Kildare.”
She added: “We will continue to work closely with the Flavours of Kildare Food Network to identify opportunities over the course of 2022 that maximise the promotion of their superb offerings. The network members are also fully supported by the team in LEO to ensure they have access to funding, training and mentoring opportunities. I would encourage any other entrepreneurs or businesses in this vital sector to join us in the network as we highlight the best of what Kildare has to offer.”
To join the network or find out more about the Flavours of Kildare Network please visit https://www.localenterprise.ie/Kildare/Enterprise-Development/Supports-by-Sector/Food-Drink-Production/Kildare-Food-Network.html or email localenterprise@kildarecoco.ie
