CAAS, UCD and Teagasc to form China-Ireland Sustainable Dairy Development Centre
UCD, Teagasc and the Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) will form the “China-Ireland Sustainable Dairy Development Centre”, building on five years of collaboration.
The purpose of the centre is to foster institutional links between the parties, to support research that will generate new knowledge, to engage in education at a number of levels, and to improve technology exchange to promote sustainable dairy farming systems in China and Ireland.
The Centre will focus on three key areas: Technology Extension, Research and Exchange and Training, Education and Talent Development
1. Technology Extension
The technology extension will relate to all aspects of dairy production in Ireland and China from the environmental impact of dairy production, animal production, and feed quality, through to processed dairy products. CAAS, UCD and Teagasc will engage in knowledge transfer and technology extension activities, and work with relevant industry partner companies, with the aim of imparting strategic benefit and sustainability principles, and facilitating trade opportunities to both Chinese and Irish Dairy sectors.
2. Research and Exchange
Applied research based on international cooperation between China and Ireland will be pursued through the centre. The goal is to maximise the research interactions between CAAS, UCD and Teagasc and to use those interactions to leverage national and international funding, to scale existing research activities and to deliver research excellence with impact.
3. Training, Education and Talent Development
The centre will draw on the expertise of CAAS, UCD and Teagasc to deliver high-level training to experts in sustainable dairy science and technology and basic education for farmers and primary operators. The centre will attach high importance to ensure that training complements efforts of technology extension and transfer.
