The Department of Agriculture has issued a public tender for a national social farming programme.
A social farming programme would offer, on a voluntary basis, farming and horticultural participation in a farming environment to people who avail of therapeutic day-support services.
Such operations are run in settings such as working family farms, local community initiatives, through to more institutional frameworks.
According to the tender, social farming is "still a relatively new concept in Ireland" but is "widely practiced across Europe and is considered at an advanced stage of development in the Netherlands, Norway and Italy".
It says that "experience has shown that well-run operations provide an opportunity for inclusion for disadvantaged groups, increase their self-esteem and improve health and well-being".
It adds that such projects also help farmers to "connect with the wider community".
The value of the tender, which is open for applicants until 28 April, is €4.5 million and it will be for five years.
The Department says it is looking for "the engagement of services for the development and implementation of a tailored work programme in support of social farming at national level".
