Background:

In Ireland, all water policy and management is led by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Under this directive, Ireland has been set a target of achieving at least ‘good status’ for all waters in Ireland. However, despite a lot of good work over the last 20-30 years, we are falling short in achieving this target and water quality has remained mainly static with no significant improvement being recorded.

Under Irelands second River Basin Management Plan (RBMP), the Government established the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) to deliver a dedicated, confidential advisory service to farmers in specific catchments known as Priority Areas for Action (PAAs), and to provide farmers with advice and support to improve water quality.   

There are multiple pressures across the areas for action; industry, waste water treatment plants and septic tanks, forestry, agriculture and urban pressures. The ASSAP (Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme) will focus its resources on addressing agricultural pressures in these catchments.

The ASSAP programme is designed to work closely with the farming community in each catchment and is made up of scientists (LAWPRO) that will assess the streams, and advisors who will work closely with farmers providing them with a free and confidential advisory service. There are 20 advisors from Teagasc and 30 advisors from the dairy processing co-op’s on the programme. Farmers can avail of this service within the PAAs on a voluntary basis.

Basic Function:

To improve the environmental sustainability of farms—focusing on enhancing water quality—through one-to-one advisory visits and group/public engagement activities, offering practical, confidential, and collaborative guidance to farmers on best practices for land and nutrient management.

ASSAP advisors work with farms who are not reaching their WFD targets and asses their farm for any potential issues that may be having an effect on the water quality in the local stream.  They will assess the drainage network on the farm, farmyard management, nutrient management practices, use of pesticides and land management.  At the end of a visit the advisor and farmer will agree on where the farmer should focus measures or actions, if any are required, on the farm. The practical advice will be designed to put ‘the right measure in the right place’ and prevent nutrients, sediment and pesticides from entering water. A written summary of the advice and actions will be provided to the farmer and a timeframe for completion agreed.

Depending on the measures recommended, the ASSAP advisor will also prepare and submit an application for funding to the Farming for Water EIP that will help to cover the costs incurred in implementing the measures. 

• To develop and deliver the agreed business plan of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme as part of an area based team.
• To use a range of effective advisory methodologies including one to one support, public events and media as part of a team to achieve improvements in farmers environmental sustainability.
• To engage with farmers located in priority catchments to identify risks arising from their farming operations to water quality and to:
  • Develop a farm plan to support farmers to minimize contaminant losses to waters.
  • Assist farmers to farm in compliance with existing regulatory standards.
  • Identify the need for additional infrastructure or to identify changes in farming systems to achieve compliance with the existing infrastructure.
  • Identify improvements in farmyard, roadway and land management practice to support reduction on point source losses.
  • Identify additional non-regulatory measures that can result in reductions in diffuse losses of contaminants to waters
  • Support farmers in implementing improved nutrient management practices to help reduce diffuse nutrient losses to waters.
• Provide advisory/planning support to advisors with clients who have been identified as being in breach of regulations regarding farmyard management and/or storage capacities.
• Provide advisory/planning support to advisors with clients who have been identified as requiring measures to reduce the diffuse loss of nutrients, sediment, pesticides etc.
• Provide support to farmers participating in the Water EIP through submission of applications and implementation of measures
• To ensure that ‘water quality’ is appropriately demonstrated on all Signpost / Monitor / Demonstration farms in the area.
• To liaise with / support other agri advisors / consultants and industry professionals as required.
• To support and facilitate groups of farmers in the impacted catchments.
• To liaise with other groups which are established with the objective of enhancing water quality and community engagement.
• To support / organize / deliver local and national dissemination events such as Teagasc Open Days, farm walks, meetings and media outputs.
• To deliver agreed programmes aimed at supporting farmers to reduce gaseous emissions, improve habitats and enhance biodiversity.
• To maintain a high profile for the Teagasc advisory service through activities, local regional and national events, publications and public relations.
• To maintain responsibility for own development and updating through active participation in PMDS organised role related training and the development of a personal development planner.
• To assist management and administrative staff in achieving good governance and risk management through co-operation and adherence to administrative procedures and practices.
• To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service charter and action plan through adherence to best practice protocols.
• Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
• Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

 * This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive.  It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.

 Note:  The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.