RIGHT: Winner Paul Bowden is pictured with Agri Aware Chairman, Mairead Lavery, on 27 March in Smithfield, Dublin, after the Final of the Agri Aware Green Dragon Challenge. Paul is displaying his ground-breaking concept, the ‘One-hand Reel’, which will potentially reduce farm deaths in the future.

Paul's brainchild is a ‘One-hand Reel’ to assist farmers with the difficult task of herding cattle alone. The device allows the user to clip a hook onto an electric fence and create a moveable and temporary electric boundary, while the other hand remains free to keep the cattle at bay. Much like a retractable dog leash, it self-winds and is held in one hand.

Paul was presented with a €10,000 product mentoring and development prize to bring his ground-breaking concept to reality.

“It is amazing how students so young have such an innovative mind and honed business acumen. The future holds massive potential for the innovation of the agriculture and food industry when you see young rising stars like Paul today,” said Mairead Lavery, chairman of Agri Aware. 

Twelve groups attended the final of the competition in Dublin and a total of €25,000 was awarded in prizes. Ideas, which ranged from soup to surfboards, had one common theme – the innovative use of local and natural resources.

The judging panel comprised renowned business gurus, including Ruth O’Dowd from TV3’s The Apprentice and Terry Clune, Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year 2009. 

Agri Aware’s Green Dragon Innovation Challenge is supported by AIB and Bord Bia. (Source: Agri Aware)