Farmers wanted for EU-funded programme
The deadline is fast approaching for Cork farmers to get involved in a pilot agri-environmental programme for water quality.
Up to 200 Cork farmers are being invited to sign up for the EU-funded Waters of LIFE project before this Saturday 30 November.
The programme focuses on greater outcomes for water quality under Ireland’s river basin management plan. It commences in early 2025 and will run for three years.
Farmers in the rivers Awbeg (Kilbrin) and Shournagh sub-catchments in county Cork can apply.
The Awbeg (Kilbrin) sub-catchment includes the villages of Kilbrin and Castlemagner and the Ketragh and local Awbeg rivers.
The Shournagh sub-catchment takes in the Shournagh, Sheep, and Rathcoola rivers from Donoughmore past Berrings, Firmount, Vicarstown, Tower and Cloghroe to where it meets the Lee.
Only five sub-catchments in the country are eligible for the pilot programme.
Waters of LIFE has introduced a payment rate of up to €2,000 per hectare per year for a riverside habitat. It applies to a 10/10 score for a fenced or uncultivated strip on improved grassland or tillage plot. The maximum width is 20m.
Farmers who don’t have river frontage can be paid up to €400 per hectare for species-rich grassland, woodland, and peatland. A riverside bonus of up to €3.20 per metre for a 10/10 plot is also paid out on these habitats.
All participating farmers can also receive payment through general actions, supporting actions, and training.
General actions include runoff risk assessment, nutrient management planning, and nutrient surplus recording. Farmers can also be paid for supporting actions including fencing, livestock drinking facilities, riverside tree planting, spatially targeted buffers, and drain blocking.
Waters of LIFE project manager, Anne Goggin said: “We’ve been actively engaged with the community in recent months through consultations and public meetings. It was really encouraging to see how many farmers came through the door and uptake on the programme so far has been good.”
Ms Goggin underlined that a farmer does not need river frontage to be a part of the programme.
She continued: “We want all farmers in our sub-catchments to play their part and be rewarded for making a difference to local water quality.
“All we’re looking for at this point is an expression of interest. It’s a three-year programme, so now is the time. From there, we can contact farmers and walk them through the next steps before any commitment is required.”
The first contact offers will be issued in January 2025. Paid training and farm visits will commence in the spring with habitat scoring to take place over the summer.
Water quality is “mixed” in the Shournagh and Awbeg sub-catchments according to a recent publication by Waters of LIFE. The project’s summary is based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data and a catchment assessment by the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO).
Farmers can express their interest and view a detailed information booklet for the programme at watersoflife.ie/eoi.
Both sub-catchments have a dedicated catchment scientist for farmers to contact with any queries.