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Farming for Water

FAQs

The best way to get involved is to speak to your ASSAP advisor and they will be able to determine if you are eligible for the project.

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 advisor will be able to determine if you are eligible for the project.

The team will be accepting applications right up to the end of 2027.

No, involvement in this project is totally voluntary and any measures to be implemented are also jointly agreed. However, to sign up for the project, a funded Rainwater Management Plan must be drawn up in conjunction with the ASSAP advisor as this will then determine what suite of measures, if any, would be advisable for the property.

The aim of the project is to involve up to 15,000 farmers across the country from the different sectors focusing in areas where water quality is most at risk. Entry to the scheme will be prioritised to areas identified under the River Basin Management Plan as Priority Areas for Action (PAA’s)

The Local Authority Water Programme (LAWPRO), in partnership with Teagasc / ASSAP and Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) submitted a bid for funding in a competitive call under the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) initiative of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme in 2023. A budget of €50m over 5 years has been allocated to the project by the EU and the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine. The Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage is funding the administrative costs of the Farming for Water EIP with €10m allocated over 5 years.

The project specifically focuses on reducing losses of phosphorus, nitrogen, sediment and, where relevant, pesticides to rivers, lakes, wetlands and all watercourses from agricultural lands. By promoting the adoption of innovative best practice in nutrient management and the application of nature-based Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) and other suitable measures at the farm level, much can be done to protect and maintain water quality.

European Innovation Partnership Agriculture (EIP-Agri) projects are locally led projects which are collaborative in nature, tackling in an innovative way, issues affecting natural resources, such as water. This €60 million project hopes to bring about improvements in water quality with co-benefits for climate change and biodiversity.

This can be achieved through the adoption of innovative practices in nutrient management, the application of nature-based Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) and other measures at farm level.

There are over 40 measures ranging from buffer zones along water courses, strategic planting of hedgerows, bunding, silt traps, planting of trees to intercept pollutants (e.g., willow beds), cover crops etc addressing risk from phosphorous and sediment. Nitrogen surplus use is also addressed providing support to farmers to increase their nitrogen use efficiency and reduce loss to water. There are also measures to address pesticide use.

The amount an individual farmer can receive through the project depends on the number of measures implemented. A Rainwater Management Plan must accompany each application and €250 is paid to the farmer upon completion of this. So, the minimum to be paid to participating farmers will be €250 and after that each measure implemented will result in additional funding being provided. See Measures section for details of funding for individual measures.

The Farming for Water EIP Research hub has been established and involves researchers from several institutions including University College Cork, University College Dublin, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Atlantic Technical University and the James Hutten Institute UK. This innovative approach will complement core project evaluation and will facilitate input from the academic community and applied research.

Mairead Whitty Answers Your Questions

Mairead Whitty, the Farming for Water EIP Project Lead, answers your most frequently asked questions about the EIP. Mairead explains how the project works, why farmers should get involved and how to apply.

 

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