Agricultural Catchments
Better water quality and supporting the production of high-quality food are the twin aims of the programme. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and run by Teagasc, for nearly ten years ACP staff have been working with 300 farmers across six catchments in Ireland. A multi-discipline team is evaluating both the environmental and economic effects of the Nitrates Directive and developing science-based solutions for Ireland's water quality challenges.
Draft Agricultural Catchments Programme Phase 2 Report (9 MB) (PDF)
Soil sampling provides vital information for ACP researchers. The results play a key role in helping individual farmers to better manage their nutrients. Since the start of the catchments in 2009, farms have been sampled many times.