Project Management
The ACP sits within the Environment, Soils and Land-Use (ESLU) Department. Phase 5 is deepening the integration with other Teagasc research including Crops, Environment and Land-Use Programmes (CELUP) and Rural Economy & Development Programme socio-economics.
ACP Programme Management has responsibility for delivery of its outputs and reports to the Head of the ESLU Department.
Farmer Liaison, Knowledge Transfer and Data Collection
- Provide national focal points for technology transfer and education
- Farm management and facilities data collection
- Technical support and collaboration with ASSAP
Baseline biophysical data collection
- Soil, surface water and groundwater including nutrients, sediment, emerging contaminants and aquatic ecology
- Greenhouse gases and ammonia
- Soil carbon sequestration
- Emerging mitigation actions and policy transfer
- Mitigation strategies at varying Technology Readiness Levels within the existing sites at sub-catchment scale
- Meta analysis on nutrient and sediment mitigation strategies to inform future policy advice
- Close engagement at the research-policy interface
Biophysical Modelling
- N and P loss to water from derogation and non-derogation farms
- Integration of water quality, GHG, ammonia and soil carbon sequestration
- Trends and future scenarios
- Upscale to river basins
Socio economic Studies
- ACP-specific farm level economic data
- Farmer practice change – attitudes and perceptions
- Nutrient trends, balance and use efficiency
Data Management and GIS
This task is led by the KT/Dissemination Specialist (KTS) who has a coordinating role, devoting the bulk of their time to this Work Package.
Dissemination
Also led by the KTS the focus is on getting key sustainability messages out to farmers nationally rather than only within the catchments. A substantial part of the work is aimed at reaching an audience right across the agri-food sector beyond to the environmental science/policy area. The areas include soil fertility, water quality, greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.