Support for farmers in Galway/Clare to take positive actions for Climate

On the 5^th of July, the Signpost Advisory Programme was launched by Teagasc in the Clare/Galway Advisory Region. This new advisory programme will complement existing advisory services and programmes already being provided to farmers in the region. The programme is designed to support and enable farmers to farm more sustainably with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their individual farms, thus contributing to the overall national effort by the agricultural and food sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. 

The programme will be an extension to the existing Signpost (Farmers for Climate Action) Programme that has established a network of more than 120 demonstration farms around the country in collaboration with 65 Industry Partners. The Signpost Advisory Programme will add significantly to this programme by providing individual farmers greater access to support and tools to help them to adopt the appropriate practices and technologies on their farms that will impact on the emissions from their farm.

This is a free advisory service and available to all farmers across all enterprises. The overall aim of the programme is to give all farmers the confidence to adopt new and existing technologies and production systems that will allow them to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining and improving farm profitability. The programme will utilise an exciting new sustainability digital platform (to be known as AgNav), being developed collaboratively by Teagasc, ICBF and Bord Bia. This new AgNav platform will allow farmers to “Know My Number” by calculating and assessing the sources of emissions on their individual farms. The AgNav platform will also provide a way of comparing the impacts of different technology and farm practice options on reducing these emissions and for a farm to “Make My Plan” by selecting actions that can be implemented on the farm in the future that will reduce emissions.  

Speaking at the launch, Teagasc regional manager, Pat Clarke highlighted, “It’s great that we have such an experienced Signpost Advisor to provide free support to farmers to make their own plans for cutting both emissions and costs. Good management of soils and nutrients will be the foundation of every plan and, with the advisors’ help, farmers can choose the right components to build on this and make a plan that suits their farm.”

Aonghusa Fahy farming in Ardrahan, Co Galway, and Tulla Co. Clare is one of the Signpost Programme Demonstration farms in the Clare/Galway Region. Aonghusa is one of the farmers already adopting new practices that are positive for climate and sustainability. He shared his experiences at the launch highlighting how key actions such as switching from CAN to Protected Urea worked on his farm. The optimisation of soil fertility and grass management along with improvements in breeding practices all combined to reduce Aonghusa’s emissions figures while improving his farms performance.

The Signpost Advisor that has been appointed in the Teagasc Clare/Galway region to directly support this new Programme is Colm Kelly, a drystock Advisor in Ballinasloe since March 2019. Colm previously lectured in Gurteen College and Kildalton College. Hailing from Ballycumber Co. Offaly, he holds a Masters in Agricultural Innovation Support with a specialisation in Contract Heifer Rearing. Colm Kelly has also stressed the importance of getting signed up for the programme.

To sign up for the Signpost Advisory Programme click on: Sign up or contact to your local Teagasc advisor or advisory office.