The Government is spending $190,000 of Ministry of Primary Industries funding as part of an investment in a new Southland water quality project.
The funding, as part of the sustainable farming fund, means up to 30 catchment groups could be established for Southland.
Farmers and rural professionals would be supported and their understanding of regulations, issues affecting their catchment and appropriate mitigations would improve.
Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay said the project, led by the New Zealand Landcare Trust, would provide regional co-ordination and support to landowners.
Farmers and communities in Southland had shown high interest in water quality, he said.
Another Southland project had also been funded in the latest round, meaning the development of farmer-led regional sustainable health groups leading change in anti-microbial use and an improvement in disease management on farms, Mr Barclay said.
The three-year project would receive $486,000 of ministry funding and would begin in July.