Agricultural Catchments Programme |
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As Gaeilge **Student Placement Opportunities 2012**
The Agricultural Catchments Programme is based on a partnership with farmers and other stakeholders and aims to support productive agriculture while protecting water quality. The programme integrates advice and research and operates in small river catchments of 500 to 2,900ha.
The programme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and run by Teagasc, is implemented by a team of researchers, advisers and technicians working closely with farmers. The programme advisers provide an intensive advisory and planning service to farmers in the catchments with support from their colleagues locally and nationally. Their purpose is to improve the profitability of the farms and help the farmers to implement the Good Agricultural Practice measures contained in the National Action Programme. The programme’s research and technical staff work with the farmers and advisers to evaluate the environmental and economic effects of the measures.
The programme aims to maximize its effectiveness by encouraging the flow of information and ideas between farmers and the team. This will be facilitated by working with farmers individually and in groups to generate new approaches and to disseminate information from the programme.
Agricultural Catchments on Eco Eye
Duncan Stewart of RTE’s Eco Eye visited the Timoleague catchment in Co. Cork and met some of the farmers who explain how they are farming to improve profits and protect water quality and why they are participating in the Agricultural Catchments Programme. The clip includes interviews with the farmers and Ger Shortle of Teagasc who works on the Programme. View the video.
