AQUARIUS:The Farmer as water manager

– and adaption to climate change

Irene Wiborg, Project manager

AQUARIUS• Interreg IVB-project, North Sea

Programme

• Runs January 2009-December 2011

• 15 partners from 6 countries around the North Sea (public national,regional and local authorities, research institutes, advisory service organisations)

• Total budget of 5.900.000 EURO

Changed climate, - new posibilities

Aim

• Develop sustainable farming under changing climate

• Involve farmers in water management (bottom-up)

• Develop methods and recommendations for integrating CC in 2. generation of river basin management plans (WFD)

What do we want to do?

• To enable farmers to act successfully as water managers in changing climatic conditions.

• The project will put in place sustainable measures that will reduce the consequences of flooding, droughts, water shortage and nutrient transport from land to the water environment.

Create a win win situation

• Good for environment

• Good for farmers

• … if we can find the solutions

• The partnership has the capacity

What to be done?

• Looking at all tools/ possibilities – The evolving approach in focus

– Sociological– Legal instruments– Economic incentives– ….

Sensor farming?

Water storage

No ploughing – reduced erosion

Conclusions

• New challenges and new opportunities in the triangle – Farming– Clean water– Climate