The Welsh Government has given details as to how £106 million of RDP funding will be prioritised over the next three years.
The funding forms part of the EU RDP 2014-20 budget - including the 15% transferred from farmers’ Basic Payments - and from Welsh Government’s own funds.
The Welsh Government says schemes which are considered to underpin Wales’ rural economy, biodiversity and environmental priorities are to receive continued support, as well as new schemes designed in response to current and upcoming challenges. A proportion of the budget will also be used towards the sustainable management of Wales’ natural resources.
Welsh Government priorities will include:
- Woodland creation and restoration
- Building resilience into Wales’ natural resources and improving biodiversity
- Helping food businesses to improve their supply chains, business resilience
- Supporting farm businesses to help ensure their sustainability
- Delivering food and drink sector Covid-19 Recovery Strategy
Despite confirmation that 17% of the budget will be used for new windows of the Glastir Woodland Creation and Restoration (9%) and Small Grants schemes (8%) being welcome, the fact that the second largest allocation in the announcement (£16.5 million - 15%) relates to “Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing Supports projects that make improvements to natural resources in residential areas” raises major concerns about the direction of travel.
Similarly, the Welsh Government revelation in a written answer to shadow agricultural spokesman Llyr Huws Gruffydd that the total funding committed to Sustainable Management Scheme projects comprises £2,836,260 (18%) for capital and £13,092,091 (82%) for revenue (i.e. salaries etc.) causes worries about how funding will be spent in future.
Details of what funding allocations were announced are provided in the below table:
|
Food Business Investment Scheme |
Focus on business and supply chain productivity improvement, business resilience and risk management through targeted investment in people and technology. |
£23,000,000 |
22% |
|
Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing |
Supports projects that make improvements to natural resources in residential areas delivering benefits for people, businesses and their communities |
£16,500,000 |
15% |
|
Glastir Woodland Creation and restoration |
Grant support to increase the area of woodland planted in Wales / Capital works for restocking, fencing and associated operations on sites |
£10,000,000 |
9% |
|
Farm Business Grant |
Supports farm businesses to invest in new technology and equipment to improve technical, financial and environmental performance. |
£8,500,000 |
8% |
|
Sustainable Production Grant |
Investment in on-farm infrastructure towards improving nutrient utilisation on farms. |
£8,000,000 |
7% |
|
Welsh Government Delivery |
To continue, maintain and support the RPW suite of applications (CAPIT / GIS / RPWOnline) that support the delivery and administration of RDP 2014–2020 schemes. |
£6,000,000 |
6% |
|
Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme (CSDS) – (Anti-microbial Resistance) |
The Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) programme will work with animal keepers and vets to keep antibiotics effective for future generations. The programme also considers environmental aspects of AMR control. |
£4,000,000 |
4% |
|
CSDS (Food – Covid Recovery Plan) |
Aims to develop innovative ways for using primary products, particularly but not exclusively food and wool. |
£3,500,000 |
3% |
|
Sustainable Management Scheme |
Supports collaborative landscape-scale projects delivering action that improves our natural resources in a way that delivers benefits to farm and rural businesses and rural communities. |
£3,000,000 |
3% |
|
Glastir Small Grants – Water |
Supports investment in activities that lead to improvements in water, air and soil quality while also enhancing on-farm biodiversity. |
£3,000,000 |
3% |
|
Glastir Small Grants – Carbon / Landscape & Pollinators |
Improving on-farm biodiversity. To address air, water and soil quality and to provide environmental benefits, delivering on climate change and water management. |
£3,000,000 |
3% |
|
CSDS – (Food Tourism) |
Aims to kick start the food and visitor economy of Wales through co-operation between operators in farming, food and tourism and through supporting actors in the food service hospitality sector. |
£3,000,000 |
3% |
|
CSDS (Round 6) |
To provide support to businesses, organisations and communities to increase their resilience by tackling issues such as rural poverty, financial sustainability, climate change and the environment, in-work poverty and social exclusion. |
£2,970,000 |
3% |
|
CSDS - (Community Transport) |
To provide support for local community transport schemes |
£2,400,000 |
2% |
|
Timber Business Investment Scheme |
Investments that will enhance forestry potential or relate to the mobilising (harvesting), processing and adding value to forest products |
£2,000,000 |
2% |
|
Rural Business Investment Scheme |
Creation and development of non-agricultural micro and small enterprises. |
£2,000,000 |
2% |
|
CSDS - (Innovative Approaches & Collaborative Growing) |
Encourage and stimulate innovative approaches and collaborative opportunities in the horticulture sector. |
£2,000,000 |
2% |
|
Farming Connect – Advisory Service |
To provide ongoing independent, bespoke, one to one and group advice to improve the sustainable management and the economic and environmental performance of farming and forestry SMEs operating in Wales |
£1,875,000 |
2% |
|
CSDS – (Pilot Actions for Community Cohesion & Green Recovery Support) |
To continue to support the re-purposing of community cohesion activities through fostering innovation, pilot activities, optimising digitalisation. |
£1,000,000 |
1% |
|
CSDS – (Pilot Action for Green Growth & Circular Economy) |
Supports pilot actions to enable a whole supply-chain approach to be taken. Adding value to and embedding the sense of place and cultural heritage of Wales through processing and marketing of non-Annex I products |
£1,000,000 |
1% |
|
Monitoring & evaluation |
Inform current RDP delivery and future Programme/project development |
£150,000 |
0% |