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WAgriCo - Water Resources Management in Cooperation with Agriculture

Compilation and Implementation of Integrated Programmes of Measures according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to Reduce Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture


The aim of the EU-Life project WAgriCo was to develop a possible suite of measures or solutions which can be implemented in agri-environmental schemes to achieve and/or sustain good water quality, according to the WFD. This project followed on from other successful co-operative work on water protection, such as Lower Saxony’s ‘Water Protection Areas’, which have been running for over 10 years and the work undertaken by the Voluntary Initiative on pesticides in the UK. This efficient cooperation between agriculture and water management provides an excellent pool of information, data and experiences.

The focus here was to demonstrate the large-scale use of enhanced measures and innovative cooperative approaches within pilot areas which represent the natural and agricultural characteristics of the regions as well as the typical impact situations. Five English and German partners cooperated in this project and submited different deliverables and reports. The main topics were:

• The development and improvement of measure (What to do?)

• The designation of target areas (Where to start and how to differentiate the target areas according to special scientific questions?)

• Ecological modelling (How to determine effects of the applied measures in soil, seepage water, groundwater, …)

• Economical modelling (How to compare costs and benefits from farm scale to socio economic considerations?)

• Combine measures with other nature conservation/protection aims and try to enhance ecological benefits (How to use synergies?)

• Education and vocational training for farmers and adviser (How to raise awareness of water protection issues in the agricultural work?)

• Inclusion of suggested catalogues of measures into agri-environmental schemes (How to develop measures with a high acceptance, that fulfil the requirements of special financing tools?)

The project structure guaranteed a permanent lateral and horizontal exchange by working groups within the pilot areas, the expert groups, the two national steering groups and the overarching international steering group. The main focus was the involvement of farmers, who took part in the development and improvement of measures. Their permanent input of already existing and new experiences ensured the practical application of measures and helped to evaluate the results.

An innovative approach was the results orientated measure which aimed on improved nitrogen efficiency.

The information column on the left side offers especially English Downloads and information materials.

Further information and downloads can be found on two websites:

The German website: www.wagrico.de
The UK website: www.wagrico.org

For further information:

WAgriCo Overall Coordination
Dr. Astrid Krüger
NLWKN- Head Office
Göttinger Chaussee 76 A
30453 Hannover
Phone: 0049 511 3034 3053
Astrid.Krueger@nlwkn-dir.niedersachsen.de

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