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Pillar 3:
Upskilling farmers, advisors, teachers, industry professionals and students

Objective:

Upskilling farmers, advisors, teachers, industry professionals and students through the provision of targeted training using a toolbox of tailored solutions and the revision of curricula

Key Actions:

  • Provide training to all Teagasc Knowledge Transfer staff (including advisory and
    education) to enhance their knowledge and skills on key aspects relating to reducing
    nutrient loss to water bodies and a toolbox of targeted solutions.
  • Provide training to partner stakeholders (e.g. co-ops, farmers, contractors, private
    consultants) to enhance their knowledge and skills on key aspects relating to reducing
    nutrient loss to water bodies and a toolbox of targeted solutions.
  • A range of courses from a basic introductory course to an accredited course will be
    made available to farmers and professionals. These will include online self-directed; and face-to-face courses.
  • Develop specific catchments/waterbody advice factsheets highlighting the water
    quality challenges and targeted solutions for that catchment/waterbody.
  • A ‘Better Farming for Water’ campaign manual will be published covering all relevant
    aspects relating to reducing nutrient loss from agriculture including: nutrient
    management, design and use of nutrient mitigation measures to reduce diffuse pollution, farmyard design to limit point source pollution; roadway design to limit sediment runoff.
  • Teagasc teaching resources for students will be revised and updated to ensure that
    all aspects of best practice relating to reducing nutrient loss to water from agriculture
    are included in the curriculum.

Improving water quality is not a new concept and therefore considerable knowledge and skills already exists amongst a variety of stakeholders. The ‘Better Farming for Water’ campaign will build on existing skills and focus on enhancing the knowledge and capacity of all stakeholders through a combination of training material and courses. These will include a range of courses from a basic introductory course to accredited courses which will be made available to farmers, advisors and other stakeholders.

A specific resource will be the publication of the ‘Better Farming for Water’ manual which will address the relevant key aspects relating to improving water quality. The manual will be developed for usage in a range of formats/media. Coupled with the manual, the ‘Better Farming for Water’ campaign will develop waterbody/soil type/enterprise specific advice factsheets, highlighting the water quality challenges and targeted solutions.

Students are a very important group. Teagasc courses will be assessed, revised and updated to ensure that all aspects of best practice relating to reducing nutrient loss to water from agriculture are included in the curriculum.

Key Deliverables

Q3 2024

Training material for advisors and stakeholders provided

Q3 2024

In-service training provided to all Teagasc tillage, drystock and dairy advisors

Q4 2024

Tailored waterbody advice sheets completed to address specific water quality issues

Q4 2024

Revision of teaching resources completed