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 England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative

The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI)

Introduction

The ECSFDI is part of Defra’s Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Programme which aims to tackle DWPA in order to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).  The ECSFDI also contributes to the achievement of domestic and international environmental targets, in particular 2010 PSA targets for SSSIs.  The initiative was rolled out in April 2006 in forty priority catchments in England, and is continuing. Defra and its delivery partners for the Initiative, Natural England and the Environment Agency, have now mapped out the next stages. The main elements are:

  • A repeat of the 2007-08 Capital Grant Scheme in 2008-09, providing funding for farmers to make relatively low-cost infrastructure investments to tackle pollution
  • A further ten priority catchments to be added from autumn 2008 to the original forty. These are the key areas where changes in farm practices are being sought to reduce water pollution.
  • A further five dedicated Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers to join the existing network of forty two officers from autumn 2008 and work closely with local farmers.
  • Nine new Regional Coordinators from summer 2008 to enhance delivery and link the Initiative with River Basin Management Planning for the Water Framework Directive, and with other regional initiatives.
  • A new strategic partnership programme from autumn 2008 with national and regional partners outside the priority catchments.
  • Extension of agreement for technical support from the Pesticides Voluntary Initiative.

Defra is providing funding of £12.9 million for the ECSFDI in 2008-09, of which £5 million is for capital grants. Funding for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be confirmed as soon as Defra completes its business planning for these years. This is on top of expenditure from other budgets – e.g. Environmental Stewardship.

Engagement with farmers will remain the main objective of the Initiative and there will continue to be an extensive programme of farmer events and farm visits. In its first two years of operation the ECSFDI delivered advice to over 6000 farmers representing 15% of farm holdings (23% by area) within the forty priority catchments. Advice was delivered through more than 500 group events, and over 4700 one-to- one farm visits. More than 14000 farm-specific recommendations were made for measures to tackle diffuse pollution. Over 80% of farmers receiving advice from the ECSFDI confirmed that their knowledge of water pollution had increased, and that they had taken, or were intending to take, action to tackle water pollution.

The ECSFDI is seeking to achieve reductions in diffuse water pollution from agriculture by encouraging CSF.  This is land management that keeps diffuse emissions of pollutants to levels that are consistent with the ecological sensitivity and uses of rivers, groundwaters and other aquatic habitats, both in the immediate catchment and further downstream.  In terms of farmer behaviours and practices (PDF 90 KB), CSF includes encouraging best practice in the use of fertilisers, manures and pesticides; promoting good soil structure to maximise infiltration of rainfall and minimise run-off and erosion; protecting watercourses from faecal contamination (e.g. with fencing and livestock crossings), and from sedimentation and pesticides (e.g. with buffer strips); reducing stocking density or grazing intensity; reverting to grassland etc.

The key elements of the ECSFDI include:

  • Partnership working between Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency.
  • A network of Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers (CSFOs) responsible for individual catchments, co-ordinated at River Basin District level.
  • Catchment Steering Groups involving local stakeholders, including water companies; farm advice deliverers like FWAG, conservation bodies such as Rivers and Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, National Trust; farming organisations such as NFU, CLA, LEAF and especially farmers.
  • Support for associate CSF projects in catchments other than the 40 priority catchments.
  • Technical support from Pesticides Voluntary Initiative in catchments where there are pesticide issues.  Other technical support from ADAS and Westcountry Rivers Trust.

Further information

You can order further copies on 08459 55 6000 or by email: defra@cambertown.com.

Defra are aware of a number of past and present projects aimed at reducing DWPA.

Page last modified: 29 May 2008
Page published 27 June 2002

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs