Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)

A group of cattle standing in a grassy field against a light sky background. In the foreground is a close-up of several cows, most with reddish-brown coats, though there's one black cow visible among them. Each animal has yellow ear tags for identification. The cows are looking directly at the camera with curious expressions, with tall grass visible in the foreground. The composition creates an intimate portrait of these farm animals in their pasture environment, capturing their attentive gazes and facial features in detail. The central cow, a reddish-brown one, appears to be the focal point of the image, with several others clustered behind it.

At a glance

Company	Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)
Industry	Public Sector
Use Cases	Sustainability, Digital Transformation

Technologies

Custom learning portal using Umbraco and integrated with LearnUpon LMS
Multi-module interactive eLearning programme
Integrated reporting and tracking tools

Key Features

Over 4 hours of tailored content
First-line helpdesk and end-user support
Accessible, user-friendly interface for low digital confidence users
Ongoing collaboration and iterative improvements

About DAFM

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is Ireland’s government body overseeing the development and regulation of the agri-food sector, forestry, and marine resources. Its mission is to drive sustainable development in agriculture while fostering a competitive, consumer-focused sector and contributing to a thriving rural economy.

A key initiative under DAFM’s remit is the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), aimed at improving environmental sustainability and genetic performance within the national beef herd. The programme aligns with Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan (2023-2027), which promotes sustainable farming, rural development, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction.

The Challenge

DAFM faced a dual challenge:

1. Knowledge and Training: Farmers enrolled in SCEP required comprehensive training to meet programme requirements, including genotyping, livestock weighing, and data recording. Ensuring farmers had the knowledge to implement mandatory actions was critical to the programme's success.

2. Digital Transformation: Many farmers reported low confidence in using technology, posing a barrier to adopting the digital tools essential for the programme. Addressing the digital divide within the farming community became an integral component of the solution.

The Solution

Following a successful tendering process, DAFM appointed Aurion Learning to design and deliver a cutting-edge online training intervention tailored to farmers’ needs. The solution aimed to build knowledge, boost confidence in using technology, and align with SCEP’s objectives. Key deliverables included:

A custom Learning Portal designed for accessibility and ease of use.
A multi-module interactive eLearning programme with over 4 hours of content.
Comprehensive end-user support, including first-line helpdesk services and back-end administrative assistance.

The Approach

Aurion employed a strategic, user-centered approach to deliver the solution:

1. Learning Portal Development

Designed and deployed a custom portal powered by Umbraco content management system and integrated with the LearnUpon Learning Management System backend.

Leveraged LearnUpon’s “Anywhere” solution to create a seamless and user-friendly front-end experience by concealing the LMS interface. This approach was specifically tailored to address the needs of the farming cohort, many of whom had limited technical confidence, ensuring ease of access and engagement with the training content.

Enabled robust reporting capabilities for DAFM to monitor compliance and track farmer progress effectively.

2. Content Design and Delivery

Developed 7 eLearning modules, ranging from introductory topics to advanced practices like genotyping and livestock handling.

Ensured the content was interactive, relatable, and directly applicable to real-life farming scenarios.

3. End-User Support

Provided first-line support via a dedicated helpdesk (phone and email), operational during standard working hours.

Established custom escalation protocols and response times, with adherence to GDPR and data protection standards.

4. Ongoing Collaboration

Partnered closely with DAFM to continuously refine the programme based on feedback.

Offered recommendations for improving the learning experience and support services throughout the project lifecycle.

The Results

The partnership between DAFM and Aurion delivered tangible outcomes that supported the objectives of the SCEP and CAP Strategic Plan:

- Widespread Participation: To date, over 15,000 farmers have completed the SCEP training, with more than 107,000 course completions recorded. Farmers are successfully gaining the skills required to comply with SCEP mandates.

- Enhanced Digital Engagement: Farmers, many with limited prior exposure to digital tools, successfully navigated the eLearning environment, bridging the digital divide in the rural community.

- Improved Sustainability Practices: Training empowered farmers to implement environmentally sustainable practices, contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions in the beef sector.

- Seamless Support: A robust SLA ensured high-quality, responsive support services, with efficient resolution of technical and general queries.

This solution highlighted Aurion’s ability to design, implement, and manage bespoke learning solutions that drive measurable outcomes for organisations tackling complex challenges.