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Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership

In partnership with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) secured funding for a groundbreaking Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) Project for Ireland in 2023. EIP-Agri projects are locally led and collaborative, addressing issues related to natural resources, such as water, through innovative approaches. Click here to see if you are in a Priority Area for Action and therefore eligible to apply.

Expert Advice is near at hand

The Farming for Water EIP project is available in priority catchments across the country where water quality is not meeting its targets.

Applications are made through the ASSAP advisory service and through Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) led farm advisors who engage with farmers in the relevant catchments and offer the opportunity to avail of funding. See link below to find as ASSAP advisor:

https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/water-quality/farming-for-water-quality-assap/assap-in-detail/

Find an Advisor

Funded Measures under the EIP

Funding is provided for measures that are over and above regulatory requirements, i.e. supplementary measures like sediment traps, riparian areas, catch crops, etc.

Each applicant requires the completion of a Rain Water Management Plan which identifies where rain water moves across the farmyard and land and enters the drainage network – this helps to identify the locations for mitigation measures on the farm.

The funding allocation varies depending on the scale of the measures to be introduced.

Explore Measures

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Want to know more about the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) ? In this section, all the most frequently asked questions are answered in full.

If you have any further questions which are not covered in this section, be sure to ask your advisor or make contact with our Project Team so that you can be fully briefed on the process involved and all the measures included.

We will be delighted to hear from you and to help out in whatever way we can.

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Attention Measure 6: Catch/Cover Crop Requirements

The Farming for Water EIP Catch Crops Pilot is open to farmers in high-risk nitrate leaching catchments only.

Eligibility Summary:

Location-based: You must be farming in areas identified within Nitrogen Priority Areas for Action (blue) on our Areas for Action map.
Responsibility: It is up to the applicant to ensure their land parcels are eligible (under Measures 6A and 6B).
Partial Parcels: If any part of a land parcel is within the eligible area, the whole parcel is eligible.
Important: Parcels outside the eligible area may not be paid.

Questions? Contact your local ASSAP advisor.

See this video to understand how catch crops can help to aid water quality in our rivers and lakes:

Catch Crops Experiment Video Final.mp4

More details

About Farming for Water EIP

This €60 million Farming for Water project strives to drive improvements in water quality while simultaneously benefiting climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection.

Achieving these objectives will involve the adoption of innovative nutrient management practices, the application of natural water retention. The project’s development and implementation, in collaboration with farmers, will target specific local challenges. We are working together with farmers and the community at large to deliver enhanced and sustained water quality improvement measures for the benefit of the environment, water life and all society.

The mission is to support and facilitate the application of locally led water stewardship following catchment science principles and focusing on water quality and multiple benefits (including climate and biodiversity), through championing project actions, integrating project learnings into sustainability initiatives and ensuring that the work programme is supported at every stage in the delivery process.

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1. How do I get involved in this project?

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This initiative focuses on areas that require the most attention to restore and enhance water quality across the country.

You can check if you are in an Area for Action put inserting your Eircode into the top right corner of the map. If your farm is in a second or third cycle area for action, you are eligible to apply. (Ensure that the second and third areas for action layers are turned on).

In addition to this we are also looking to engage with tillage and dairy farmers in the Nitrogen Area for action. (Ensure that the Nitrogen Priority Areas for Action layer is turned on)

If your farm is located in an Area for Action, the best way to get involved in the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) is by contacting the Teagasc ASSAP advisor for your area.

If you are a dairy farmer, this will be the dairy ASSAP advisor associated with dairy processor e.g. Dairygold, Carbery, Aurivo, Lakeland Dairies, Kerry Group, Tirlán, North Cork Creameries, Arrabawn Tipperary Co-operative Society etc. They can help determine your eligibility for the project.

You can also contact the Farming for Water EIP team to determine your eligibility.

The project aims to engage up to 15,000 farmers and invest €50 million in targeted measures that support improved water quality nationwide.

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2. Can anybody who wishes, get involved?

At present, only those in the Priority Areas for Action (PAA’s) under the River Basin Management Plan, can apply for the project – the ASSAP and farm advisors will be able to determine if you are eligible for the project.

Alternatively, you can log onto the catchments.ie website and follow the link below to determine if your farm is in the PAA.

Simply enter your Eircode and follow the pathway. The link which can be pasted into your web browser is: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/agriculture

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3. How long do I have to get involved in the project?

The Farming for Water EIP team based in the headquarters at Heffernan House, Rossmore Neighbourhood Centre, Rossmore Village, Tipperary Town, will be accepting applications right up to the end of 2027.

So, farmers interested in getting involved in the project have until then to sign up.

The best advice is to speak to your ASSAP or farm advisor and they will help direct and steer you through the application process.

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4. Is this a mandatory project?

Involvement in this Farming for Water EIP project is totally voluntary and any measures to be implemented are also jointly agreed.

However, to sign up for the project, a fully funded Rainwater Management Plan must be drawn up in conjunction with the ASSAP or farm advisor.

This Rainwater Management Plan will then determine what suite of measures, if any, would be advisable for the property and which ones would help to protect and restore water quality.

The farmer can then decide what measures they wish to introduce and make the application for funding.

EIP Terms and Conditions Document

See some of the work undertaken and underway through the Farming for Water project

View our interactive map to see some of the works and measures which are currently underway.

Job Opportunities

Expression of Interest sought for Farming for Water EIP Posts

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Farming for Water Measures

A project under the Farming for Water EIP programme starts with a Rainwater Management Plan (RWP) which is devised in consultation with an expert advisor and funded under the programme. Following the RWP, various measures are recommended, implemented and monitored to track their effectiveness.

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