South Island applicants have cleaned up in the Government's first round community irrigation fund handouts to support promoters of community irrigation and water storage schemes.
The $390,000 in funding up to 2012 has been allocated for six projects in the South Island and one project in the North Island, and includes $250,000 for this financial year.
"Helping rural communities adapt to climate change is becoming increasingly important," said Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry director general, Murray Sherwin.
"Raising investor and community support for schemes can be an expensive exercise and this fund aims to help promoters overcome the high costs of raising support for their schemes."
Successful grant recipients include Barrhill Chertsey stage one (Mid Canterbury), Strath Taieri Irrigation Scheme (Central Otago), Dairy Creek Irrigation Scheme (Central Otago), Mount Ida Dam (Central Otago), Hurunui Community Water Development Project (North Canterbury), Tarras Community Water Scheme (Central Otago), and Wairarapa Regional Irrigation Scheme (Wairarapa).
Criteria used to assess the applications were based on potential impacts of the activities funded, potential impacts of the completed scheme, the ability of the team to deliver on activities and the overall value for money.
The $6.4 million fund was established in 2007 as a part of sustainability and climate change initiatives, and offers up to half of the cash costs of appropriate activities. Applicants had to show how their projects would help them adapt to climate change and improve the use of water in their area.
