€60m project for farmers to improve water quality announced
The project will involve adopting innovative practices in nutrient management, the application of nature-based Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), and other measures at farm level following the principles of Integrated Catchment Management.
Support of €60m has been announced by the Government for the improvement of water quality at local, catchment and national levels.
Through a WATER European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) will work with farmers on an individual basis to improve water quality.
The project will involve adopting innovative practices in nutrient management, the application of nature-based Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM), and other measures at farm level following the principles of Integrated Catchment Management.
Measures will be designed and targeted specifically to address local challenges.
This is a collaborative approach between the Department of Agriculture with the Department of Housing along with industry.
The Department of Agriculture will support the project through the provision of technical assistance and funding of €50m for participating farmers, co-funded by the national exchequer and the EU under CAP.
It expects to target 15,000 farmers in priority areas nationally.
The Department of Housing will provide administrative support and funding of €10m.
The EIP project, which will run until the end of 2027, has been awarded to the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO).
Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said: "The agri-food industry is working together to improve water quality.
"This is the largest funding that my department has provided to a single EIP, recognising the importance of this project to enhancing sustainable agricultural practices and contributing in a significant way to improving water quality at a national level."
Minister of State Pippa Hackett added that there is a significant "positive impact" to be seen from "targeted, locally-led advisory schemes" on the environment.
"This is our largest EIP to date, and the scale of funding reflects the scale of our ambition to tackle agriculture-related declines in water quality," Ms Hackett said.
"LAWPRO’s winning proposal will take a locally-based approach, combining farm-level actions with landscape features to deliver on the programme’s core aim of improving water quality, and also to provide a range of ecosystem co-benefits."
