DARD: 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme
Overview
Funding of the Rural Development Programme post EU Exit
Agri-Environment
The Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) will offer participants a 5-year agreement to deliver a range of environmental measures and will have three levels:
- a higher level, primarily for environmentally designated sites and other priority habitats
- a wider level to deliver benefits across the countryside, outside of environmentally designated areas
- a group level to support co-operative action by farmers in specific areas such as a river catchment
The first tranche for EFS closed for applications on 31 March 2017.
Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme (AFCS)
The Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme (AFCS) is a new scheme which will be funded through the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme. The aim of the scheme is to reduce fragmentation and improve competitiveness and sustainability within the agri-food sector.
Business Development Groups
Knowledge transfer through Business Development Groups (BDG) is a new scheme which will be funded through the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme. The scheme will use a group approach to improve the technical efficiency of farm businesses and will also offer participants the opportunity to gain a level 3 qualification.
Forestry Grant Schemes
Almost all woodlands in Northern Ireland are planted with some form of grant assistance. The Forest Service encourages the creation of new woodlands and the management of existing woodlands by providing grant aid towards the cost of the work.
Farm Business Improvement Scheme
The proposed Farm Business Improvement Scheme (FBIS) will be an important part of the RDP and, subject to the necessary business case approvals, will include a portfolio of measures to support sustainable growth in the agriculture sector.
It is proposed that the FBIS includes a capital investment scheme that provides capital support. This scheme is called the Business Investment Scheme (BIS).
Agri-food Processing Investment Scheme
The Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-20 includes provision for an Agri-food Processing Investment Scheme (AfPIS). This replaces the EU Processing & Marketing Grant Scheme (PMG) previously operated by DARD. Subject to the necessary approvals, AfPIS will seek to improve the economic performance and competitiveness of the agri-food sector through financial assistance for capital investment in equipment and buildings.
Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS)
Farm Family Key Skills aims to help farm families adapt to the changing needs of the industry by increasing the levels of knowledge and skills needed to assist with their business decision making. It does this through short, topic based courses and workshops.
Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS) is a knowledge transfer initiative within the Farm Business Improvement Scheme, funded under the Rural Development programme 2014-2020. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is responsible for the management and delivery of FFKS.
LEADER
£70m of funding will be distributed in rural areas through the leader approach. Funding is available for Rural Business Investment, Rural basic Services, Village Renewal, Broadband initiatives and co-operation.
Rural Tourism
The Scheme will invest in natural and built heritage projects that can act as a key driver for encouraging rural tourism and particularly out of state visitors whilst preserving the natural assets of the rural community.
The scheme will be open to Local Authorities and should align with the objectives of Tourism NI.