Hen Harrier Programme

Name

Hen Harrier Programme

Legal name

Hen Harrier Programme

Website

https://acresireland.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agri-Environmental Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon, Sustainability & MRV Services for Farms (Baseline, Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) (AFACACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG), Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE)

Keywords

• Agri-environment scheme
• Biodiversity conservation
• Results-based payments
• High nature value farmland
• Habitat scoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Co. Galway

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The Co-operation Project teams are fully funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). Farmers receive payments for results achieved (habitat scoring) and for implementing Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions. Payment rates vary by action type and score achieved, ranging from €1.59/m for stonewall repair to €2,309.20 per woodland planting action.
2. Results-Based Farmer Payments: Payments to farmers are calculated based on field habitat assessment scores. A score of 10/10 earns €400/ha while a score of 5 earns €175/ha. Scores of 3 or less receive no payment. Farmers can improve scores through NPIs and Landscape Actions supported by the programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Hen Harrier Programme operates ACRES Co-operation (CP), a results-based agri-environment scheme that pays Irish farmers for biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery on High Nature Value (HNV) farmland. Farmers are scored annually using specialized habitat scorecards and receive payments ranging from €175/ha to €400/ha based on outcomes, with access to over 30 funded Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and landscape-level actions. The programme delivers its services free of charge to farmers across three regional co-operation zones (Breifne, Munster/South Connacht, Leinster) using drone remote sensing and trained farm advisors.

Product overview

ACRES CP (Areas for Conservation European Schemes Co-operation Project) is a results-based agri-environmental programme operated by Hen Harrier Programme, funded by Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The scheme uses a hybrid approach combining Results-Based Payment Scorecards with Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions. Farmers are scored annually using defined scorecards (Peatland, Grassland, Rough Grazing, Scrub/Woodland, and others), with scores determining payment rates (e.g., 10/10 = €400/ha, 5/10 = €175/ha). Over 30 NPIs are available as supports to help farmers improve their scores, including habitat creation actions, fencing, water infrastructure, and biodiversity supports. The programme operates through three regional teams (Breifne, Munster/South Connacht, Leinster) managing Co-operation zones targeting High Nature Value farmland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACRES Breifne: Co-operation project covering Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon and Monaghan, focused on biodiversity, water quality, and upland peatlands.
• ACRES Munster/South Connacht
• ACRES Leinster

Products and services

• ACRES Co-operation (CP) A locally adapted agri-environment scheme using a hybrid results-based approach that rewards farmers for delivering environmental outcomes through habitat scoring and non-productive investments. Operates across three co-operation zones in Ireland.
• Results-Based Payment Scorecards Annual scoring system using ten specialized scorecards (Peatland, Grassland, Rough Grazing, Scrub/Woodland, Corncrake, Chough, Low Input Peat Grassland, and others) to assess habitat value and determine payment rates to farmers. Scores of 10/10 earn €400/ha while scores of 5 earn €175/ha.
• Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) Over 30 funded actions including habitat creation, fencing, water infrastructure, and biodiversity supports to help farmers improve habitat scores and increase payments.
• Landscape Actions Coordinated actions at landscape level addressing water quality, wildfire resilience, and invasive species control delivered by local CP teams.
• Farm Advisory & Training Services Direct engagement with farmers and local communities including specialist training in wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, rewetting, invasive species control, drone piloting and remote sensing technologies. Provided free of charge to farmers.
• Drone-Based Habitat Assessment Drone-based remote sensing service using Wingtra, M300, Mavic Enterprise, and Parrot Anafi drones combined with machine learning algorithms to identify vegetation types, fire and erosion risk, and invasive species across 80,000 hectares of commonage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Habitat scores directly correlate to payments from €175/ha (score 5) to €400/ha (score 10), with scores of 3 or below receiving no payment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Soil Capital: European (Belgium-headquartered) regenerative agriculture and soil carbon payment scheme. Comparable as an emerging player operating results-based farmer payments for environmental outcomes (carbon, soil health) using field scoring and digital tools — a model analogous to ACRES CP, though commercial and carbon-focused.
• Soilco Carbon Solutions: Australia-based soil carbon and sustainability services provider. Comparable as an emerging player delivering on-farm environmental MRV (carbon, biodiversity, sustainability) using field data and digital scoring — similar service architecture to ACRES CP's results-based scorecards, though geographically distant and carbon-focused.
• BirdWatch Ireland: Ireland's largest bird conservation NGO. Comparable as an adjacent player focused on farmland bird conservation in similar geographies; ACRES CP delivers habitat management that supports BirdWatch's species targets (Corncrake, Chough, Hen Harrier) but operates as a payment scheme rather than advocacy body.

Direct peers

• Burren Programme: An Irish agri-environment conservation programme targeting High Nature Value farmland in the Burren region. Directly comparable: pioneer in results-based farmer payments and conservation grazing, operates on similar hybrid model of farmer training, habitat scoring, and DAFM co-funding.
• SUAS EIP Project: An Irish EIP-AGRI operational group delivering agri-environment results-based payments to farmers in the Wicklow and Dublin uplands. Directly comparable: similarly structured EIP project running results-based schemes for High Nature Value farmland, with overlapping team pedigree (Brian Dunne joined ACRES from SUAS).

Broad incumbents

• Teagasc: Ireland's national agricultural research and advisory authority. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing farm advisory services, HNV farmland research (where Dr Sara Ruas and others worked), and CAP-aligned farmer support across all of Ireland, though with a much wider portfolio than ACRES CP.
• National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS): Irish state body responsible for protected areas and species conservation. Comparable as a broad incumbent engaged in habitat management, Natura 2000 site oversight, and biodiversity policy that intersects with ACRES CP's co-operation zones and species-specific actions.

Regional players

• Arable Ireland: An Irish tillage-focused industry group promoting sustainable arable farming practices. Comparable as a regional player supporting Irish farmers on environmental management, though focused on crop production rather than High Nature Value grassland/commonage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AcresIreland
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100091272143640
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/henharrierprogram
• Instagraminstagram.com/acres.munstersouthconnacht

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hen Harrier Programme