Welcome to

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. Launched in 2024, the EIP is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the European Commission. The project is delivered in partnership with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland, and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO). 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. Check out the Measures booklet here: A4 Measures Brochure V2

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.

Find out more

Attention Measure 6: Catch/Cover Crop Requirements

The Farming for Water EIP Catch Crops Pilot was 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.

To receive payment in 2026, approved applicants must:

Submit a declaration confirming the location and quantity of eligible crops sown under the Farming for Water EIP project
Ensure this declaration is submitted before the relevant deadline for either Measure 6A or Measure 6B (catch crops)
Include details of the location and quantity of any crops sown under other schemes (e.g. ACRES)

Once all Farming for Water EIP conditions have been met, and the necessary administrative checks have been successfully completed, payments will issue.

Please note the following important requirements:

Declarations will only be accepted through the online portal here : https://farmingforwater.ie/annual-declaration-form-for-catch-and-cover-crops/
The applicant is responsible for submitting their declaration. If a third party is engaged, and the declaration is not submitted, this remains the responsibility of the applicant.
All catch crop parcels funded under other schemes must be declared as part of the application and/or declaration. (e.g. ACRES)
Applicants must ensure they select the correct catch crop measure (6A or 6B). Differences in payment arising from an incorrect selection cannot be adjusted retrospectively.

If you have any queries, please contact your local advisor or the Farming for Water team.

For more information regarding this measure including deadlines please see here : https://farmingforwater.ie/app/uploads/2024/07/Catch-Crops.pdf

The Annual Declaration Form is located here:

2026 Annual Declaration Form for the Catch / Cover Crop Measure 6A & 6B | Online Consultation Portal of the Waters and Communities Office

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.