Lough Neagh Partnership Recognised at Farming Life Awards
The team from Lough Neagh Partnership has been awarded the Sustainable Initiative Award at the 12th Farming Life Awards. Sponsored by RJ Woodland Services, the category was one of 16 awards which celebrate and recognise agricultural excellence.
Gerry Darby, Strategic Manager at Lough Neagh Partnership, said: “This award to the Lough Neagh Partnership rewards the development of Farm Plans which have been welcomed by the farming community. It is especially pleasing to win as the Sustainability Initiative Award was assessed by the agriculture industry and featured a very competitive field.”
Speaking about the award, Michael Meharg of Lough Neagh Partnership, said: “Lough Neagh is a very sensitive natural resource and its catchment covers 45% of the Northern Ireland land area. It is internationally important for its wildlife and habitats and we entered this award specifically in recognition for the work that the Partnership has been doing with local farmers.
“The Climate Resilient Plan project delivered through the Lough Neagh Partnership Environmental Farm Scheme aimed to promote an integrated approach to farm management and decision making by focusing on strategic management of nature assets and we are thrilled that the project has been awarded the Sustainable Initiative Award.”
Lough Neagh Partnership works with over 150 farmers who live and work along the shores of the lough to help them maintain viable businesses in this challenging landscape while working to maintain and enhance the quality of their environment.
Lough Neagh has attracted global media attention in recent months due to the water quality of the lough and the much documented algal bloom and, while climate change is having an impact globally, farmers and the surrounding farmlands around Lough Neagh are also feeling its affect.
Michael said: “The Lough Neagh Partnership has completed an innovative initiative to develop 20 Climate Resilience plans for farmers living and working in this sensitive area of high nature value. The more resilient a farm can become to the effects of climate change, the more sustainable the farm and its natural assets will be.
“These Climate Resilience plans will help prepare farmers for the impacts that future climate change will bring as the changing climate will continue to put pressures on farming businesses and the high nature value habitats and wildlife species they support within the Lough Neagh catchment.”
Lough Neagh Partnership reviews current land management and signals opportunities and new approaches that will put each farm business in good stead to withstanding future climate related events.
Michael added: “We are constantly monitoring opportunities for farmers and provide signposts to opportunities for funding to schemes such as the proposed ‘Farming With Nature’ and ‘Farming For Carbon’ schemes.”
Plans include an overview of world climate change predictions; development of farm-based wildfire plans; farm flood risk assessment; analysis of predicted rainfall changes to 2050; farm drought risk assessment through to 2050; and future funding opportunities to build farm sustainability in a time of changing farm policy.
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