Proposals for Demonstration and Pilot Projects Relating to Water Conservation, Efficiency and Drought Preparedness in Agriculture Sought
Background: Water shortages due to timing and uneven distribution of rainfall occur almost every year in some part of Ontario. WRAMI aims to help Ontario farmers be better prepared for low water response, drought preparedness and adapt their water use practices to deal with the growing impacts of climate change. WRAMI is an 18 month (2012-2013) program, and will allocate $1.0 million to various demonstration and pilot scale projects, and to communicate the results to Ontario farmers. WRAMI will provide funding for demonstration and research projects that showcase innovative technologies and solutions to water conservation and water use efficiency problems within agriculture. Funding will be open to all segments of agriculture interested in water conservation/efficiency, drought preparedness and activities related to adapting to climate change. Funding for the WRAMI project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada(AAFC) and OMAFRA through the Agricultural Flexibility Fund, as part of Canada's Economic Action PlanWater Efficiency Project Examples
Some types of water efficiency projects that may be considered are:
- Equipment: scheduling, nozzles, soil moisture meters, pulse irrigation, cyclic irrigation,uniformity of irrigation systems, fertigation, utilization of water meters, record keeping tools, software, scheduling tools (weather monitoring, soil, real-time, models), water efficiency tools, irrigation assessment.
- Data collection/benchmarking of recently installed or new equipment.
- Impact of different irrigation systems on economics of production (fuel, labour, storage capacity required, nutrients and pest management)
- Water: Field irrigation, sub-irrigation re-circulation of water, storm water management (capture)
- Equipment: water meters and benchmarking, watering and feeding systems, spray cooling equipment, water used for cleaning, water storage systems, alternative watering systems used for outdoor livestock, water source protection related to outdoor livestock watering
- Soil structure as it relates to water conservation: organic content, compaction, tillage practice.
- Drainage/Drainage capture, water storage, (i.e. capture of rainwater, controlled drainage, sub-irrigation, pond management, tiles to ponds) (systematic tile not eligible)
- Controlled drainage and wetlands creation.
- Water re-use, storm water management, washes water recycling, biofilters.
- Crop water use, irrigation, drought tolerance traits, water use ratios/coefficients.
- Cover crops/ mulches, shading or residue management
- Cisterns and rural low water supply management
- Farm pond infrastructure planning and management for local regional low water response
- Field drainage tile material design options to minimize interference with tree roots from windbreaks/fencerow
Applications can be made by: partnerships, universities and colleges, cooperatives, marketing boards, non-profit organizations, First Nation groups, commodity groups and recognized industry associations and organizations, research groups or contractors currently involved in farming activates that demonstrate sensitivity to water supply, and use in Ontario. Projects that support research into equipment, technologies and grower information tools that are relevant to an entire commodity group or water application method would be favoured over projects that are limited in their future application to other growers, rather than solutions limited to a single specific situation. Projects would be expected to gather hard data that would be of value to an industry as a future decision making tool. Conservation Authorities, Municipalities and individual farmers are not eligible as direct applicants, but could be co-operators in projects. Federal, provincial and territorial government departments or agencies are not eligible applicants under this call for proposals.
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