Agtech company to treble workforce as Minister Coveney opens new office

Local Agtech firm FarmEye is set to more than treble its workforce to 70 over the next five years.

The news was announced as Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney officially opened its new office recently at the Daneswell Business Centre in Monksland.

The Roscommon company is currently in year one of a new five-year business plan, with a target of increasing its current staff of 20 to 70 by the end of the plan.

FarmEye uses digital technologies as part of a measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) platform which provides data-rich insights into soil health, farm carbon, and environmental data.

One of the platform’s many practical benefits is the cost-efficient use of fertilisers on farms.

FarmEye calculates that the average farmer could save about €6,000 on their annual fertiliser bill using its system.

The company’s CEO and Taughmaconnell native, Dr Eoghan Finneran, told the official launch of the new office that the reason the company took the decision to invest in the new facility in Monksland was “because we have a huge ambition and a huge drive around where we want to go with FarmEye in the next five years internationally”.

Mr Finneran said the company was aiming to be the leading digital MRV platform globally for sustainable agriculture over the next five years.

“We’re really proud to have the office based here in Roscommon. Our aim is to empower farmers, agri-advisors, and agri-food companies with the digital tools and insights needed to optimise productivity, while minimising environmental impact,” he said.

One of the other company co-founders, Brendan Allen, is also from Roscommon — a native of Fourmilehouse.

The third co-founder, Joe Desbonnet, is from Galway. The firm began as a spin-off from a University of Galway project in 2017, and the Enterprise Ireland supported venture has also opened offices in England and Italy.

Thanking all those who have supported the venture, Mr Finneran also thanked the farming community.

“We would have not been able to develop the technology without the input of a lot of farmers who have been very generous to us with their time.”

Speaking at the launch, Mr Coveney congratulated FarmEye “on the success story that they have become”.

The minister pointed out that the traditional know-how of farmers was still important, but extra tools were now available where field maps could be created “to understand each square metre of soil that we are responsible for”.

“Ireland has the potential to become the Silicon Valley for AgTech software, and companies such as FarmEye are leading the way,” he said.

“Ensuring all of us, as consumers, have sustainable food means we need verified and transparent data.

“Farmers and food producers also benefit from this data so that they can protect all our futures by sustainably managing our soil, water, and farmland habitats.

“With over 3.5m acres mapped for soil health, FarmEye now employs 20 people in Roscommon and is exporting to eight countries internationally. FarmEye is a leading light in Irish AgTech software.”

He told the gathering that there had been a lot of talk about the contribution that agriculture makes to Ireland’s overall emissions, “and not enough talk about the change and the evolution of farming that is responding to that challenge, in my view, in a very progressive way”.

Mr Coveney paid tribute to all who had the courage to invest and build FarmEye.

“I think the future for this company is exciting, and I think there’s no reason why this is a brand and a name and a company that that can’t become a growing multinational into the future out of Ireland,” he said.

Addressing the launch, Fine Gael Senator Aisling Dolan said that “we’re in the best place in the world” to have technology and agriculture come together to be a driving force in Ireland and in the world.

“I am delighted to welcome Minister Simon Coveney to Monksland to open the new premises of a cutting-edge Roscommon AgTech company.

“Dr Eoghan Finneran is one of the co-founders of FarmEye, a successful venture with up to 20 staff,” she said.

“This demonstrates how Roscommon is leading the way in agricultural technology, so that Irish farmers can promote good soil health and increase productivity.

“Congratulations to management and staff on this opening, marking the continued growth of FarmEye and its positive impact on our local community.”

Senator Dolan said everyone wanted to see that there was a future for farming families, and for the families “that are coming behind us”.