'Waters of LIFE' is looking for up to 600 farmers to take part in the agri-environmental pilot project, which is run across five sub-catchments.

The project will pay farmers over three years for measures and practices positive for water quality, starting from 2025.

Payment rates will issue at up to €2,000/ha in each year of participation for riverside habitats that score 10/10.

This results-based element of the project will require farmers to fence-off improved grassland or leave a strip of tillage land uncultivated to a maximum width of 20m.

Bonus

For farmers without river frontage, up to €400/ha will be paid for species-rich grassland, woodland and peatland.

A riverside bonus of up to €3.20/m is available for plots scoring under these habitat types.

Further payments can be earned through the project by undergoing training or by carrying out actions such as nutrient management planning, fencing off watercourses, providing drinkers for livestock, planting trees along rivers, drain blocking, minimum tillage and catch crops.

The sub-catchments from which farmers can apply are the Awbeg (Kilbrin), the Shournagh, the Graney in Clare, the islands in both Galway and Roscommon and the Avonmore in Co Wicklow.

Farmers can express their interest in participating online before 30 November or by contacting their local catchment scientist or adviser.

Interest strong

Project manager with 'Waters of LIFE' Anne Goggin stated that farmers' interest has been strong so far and highlighted that farmers do not need land directly bordering a river to participate.

“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,” Goggin said.

“The first contract 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.

“Advisers will have an important role to play and the project is also encouraging locally based advisers to make contact.

“Payments to adviswrs will be administered directly by the programme to ensure farmers are not out of pocket.”