02 March 2023

ASSAP – Seachtain na Gaeilge

Tá ról lárnach ag cleachtais feirmeoireachta i bhfeabhsú cháilíocht an uisce, is seirbhís saor in aisce agus rúnda é ASSAP (Clár Tacaíochta agus Comhairleach Inbhuanaithe Talmhaíochta) a oibríonn le feirmeoirí i 190 dobharcheantar tosaíochta cáilíochta uisce in Éirinn, léigh tuilleadh thíos.

Deirdre Ni Flionn & Cathal MacAnsamraidh

Táimid anois inár 5ú bliain den Chlár Tacaíochta agus Comhairleach um Inbhuanaitheacht Talmhaíochta (ASSAP) In Éirinn, tá gach beartas agus bainistíocht uisce faoi stiúir an Chreat-Treoir Uisce. Faoin treoir seo tá sprioc leagtha síos d’Éirinn chun ‘stádas maith’ nó luach Q de 4 nó níos mó a bhaint amach dár ndobharlaigh go léir.

Mar a dtús, tá 190 réimsí tosaíochta le haghaidh gníomhaíochta roghnaithe ag an EPA áit a bhfuil gá le feabhas éigin a chur ar cháilíocht an uisce. Tá brúnna iolracha ar fud na ÚCPanna ar nós tionscail, ionaid chóireála fuíolluisce, umair mhúnlaigh, foraoiseacht, talmhaíocht agus brú uirbeach. Tá comhairleoirí ASSAP dírithe ar aghaidh a thabhairt ar bhrúnna talmhaíochta sna réimsí seo.

Oibríonn comhairleoirí ASSAP ó phearsanra Teagasc & Inbhuanaitheacht Déiríochta Éireann i gcomhar le Clár Uiscí na nÚdarás Áitiúil (LAWPRO). Díríonn eolaithe dobharcheantair LAWPRO ar mheasúnú a dhéanamh ar cháilíocht an uisce i gcraobh-aibhneacha agus aibhneacha a léiríonn fianaise ar thionchar na talmhaíochta agus a bhfuil gá acu le feabhas áirithe. Cuireann LAWPRO faisnéis ar fáil do chomhairleoirí ASSAP, ligeann sé seo do chomhairleoirí cinntí níos eolasaí a dhéanamh agus iad ag tabhairt comhairle d’fheirmeoirí ina gceantar áitiúil.

Cuireadh fáilte mhór roimh oibriú le feirmeoirí chun feabhas a chur ar cháilíocht an uisce trí chuairteanna duine le duine ar fheirmeacha. Aithníonn feirmeoirí gur caillteanas airgeadais dóibh féin freisin cailliúint cothaitheach in uiscí. Níos tábhachtaí fós, tá an t-aistriú inaitheanta ó thaobh meon na feirmeoireachta de réir cur chuige a oireann do chách maidir le feasacht go bhfuil gach feirm uathúil agus gur acmhainn luachmhar é an t-uisce a thagann uaithi a dteastaíonn bainistíocht chúramach talún, clós feirme agus cothaitheach uaithi lena chosaint agus a stádas cáilíochta uisce a fheabhsú. Tá feabhsúcháin le feiceáil ar cháilíocht an uisce laistigh dár gclár go náisiúnta, rud atá dearfach.

Ar deireadh coinnigh ag éisteacht leis an Environment Edge Podcast with Cathal & Deirdre. 

ASSAP

Farming practices play a key role in water quality, ASSAP (Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme) is a free and confidential service working with farmers in 190 priority water quality catchments in Ireland, read more below.

Deirdre Glynn & Cathal Somers

We are now into our fifth year of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) In Ireland, all water policy and management is led by the Water Framework Directive. Under this directive Ireland has been set a target of achieving ‘good status’ or a Q value of 4 or greater for all our water bodies.

As a start, 190 PAA’s (Priority Areas for Action) have been selected by the EPA where water quality needs some improvement. There are multiple pressures across the PAA’s such as industry, waste water treatment plants, septic tanks, forestry, agriculture and urban pressures. ASSAP advisors are focused on addressing agricultural pressures in these areas.

ASSAP advisors from Teagasc & Dairy sustainability Ireland personnel work in collaboration with the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO). LAWPRO catchment scientists focus on assessing the water quality in tributaries and rivers which are showing evidence of impact from agriculture and are in need of some improvement. LAWPRO provide information to ASSAP advisors, this allows advisors to make more informed decisions when advising farmers in their local area.

Working with farmers to bring about water quality improvements through one to one farm visits has been well received. Farmers are recognising the fact that losses of nutrients to waters are also a financial loss to themselves. More important, is the recognisable shift in mind-set from farming according to a one size fits all approach to an awareness that each farm is unique and the water coming from it is a precious resource that requires careful land, farmyard and nutrient management to protect and improve its water quality status. We are seeing water quality improvements within our programme nationally which is positive.

Finally keep listening to the Environment Edge Podcast with Cathal & Deirdre.