Work is ongoing to give private agricultural advisors access to AgNav, which is currently only available to Teagasc advisory services.

According to Teagasc, "expanding access to private advisors will improve AgNav’s advisory reach".

It also believes that this will increase AgNav’s advisory capacity.

The online interactive digital platform, which launched in 2023, is a partnership between Teagasc, Bord Bia, and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).

The platform initially was focused on on supporting farmers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase sequestration, but further sustainability indicators have been included over the last two years.

AgNav

The nutrient balance indicator was introduced for dairy farmers in 2024 to assesses nitrogen and phosphorus balance on farm.

Meanwhile a specific aspect for beef enterprises was also released and is being used in Waters of Life, EU Life Integrated Project.

An estimated 17,000 farmers have currently signed up to the platform and over 11,000 sustainability action plans have been created with it.

From the beginning of last year, the platform has included soil carbon functionality and was rolled out to tillage farmers in 2025 using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model designed by Teagasc, with input from Tirlán.

Farmers upload their data through a survey on AgNav, which includes details on fertiliser, lime, organic manures, tractor passes, crop yields, and straw or cover crop practices.

The platform then calculates the gross and net GHG emissions per tonne of produce; net GHG emissions include extra carbon stored in soils.

Sheep

Sheep will be the next enterprise added to AgNav, and this will be rolled out in 2026.

Farmers will need to complete a sheep survey on the platform that will capture key information on flock size, performance, and management practices.

This will enable AgNav to calculate GHG emissions and othersustainability indicators.

Further expansions are also planned for pigs, poultry, horticulture, and forestry. 

Work is also underway to bring new measures to the platform that will cover biodiversity, economics, and the social dimensions of sustainability.