20 January 2024
€50 million available to farmers in the new Water EIP
Mairéad Whitty, Local Authorities Water Programme and Project Lead for the Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) and Noel Meehan, Teagasc, manager of the ASSAP programme, join Cathal and Deirdre on the latest Environment Edge podcast to discuss the new €50 million Water EIP.
In the latest episode of the Environment Edge podcast, hosts Cathal Somers and Deirdre Glynn discuss a crucial initiative aimed at improving water quality in Irish agriculture. The focus is on the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) known as the Water EIP. This initiative, backed by €50 million in funding, targets farmers in specific areas across Ireland, providing them with opportunities to enhance water quality through various supports.
The podcast features insights from Mairéad Whitty, representing the Local Authorities Water Program and Project Lead for the Water EIP, and Noel Meehan, manager of the ASSAP program (Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Program) at Teagasc.
Mairéad Whitty explains the EIP is as a European innovation partnership that funds projects bringing together farmers, scientists, and other experts to develop environmentally friendly and economically sustainable practices. The primary goal is to test and implement these practices on a broader scale for the benefit of farmers and water quality.
The discussion emphasizes the need to address basic elements, to improve water quality in farming. The regulations in place since 2006 cover areas such as slurry storage, soiled water storage, closed periods, buffer margins, and monitoring weather conditions during manure spreading. Noel Meehan stresses the importance of better implementation of these basics.
The hosts highlight the role of ASSAP advisors in assessing farms, identifying pressures, and collaborating with farmers to implement measures. The Water EIP comes into play by providing grants to farmers for voluntary measures that go beyond regulatory requirements, such as water management plans, nitrogen efficiency improvements, riparian margins, and exclusion of livestock from watercourses.
The hosts discuss the anticipated positive impact of the Water EIP on water quality, acknowledging that while it will not solve the entire country’s water quality issues, it is a significant step in the right direction.
Listen to the podcast below
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