Farmers Encouraged to Diversify with new RDP Grant

RDP Sir Gâr’s grant scheme to help farmers to diversify and keep young people in the farming industry is now under way in rural Carmarthenshire

RDP Sir Gâr’s Supporting Farmers to Diversify grant aims to maintain and increase the income of farm households in rural Carmarthenshire, by providing the capital needed to enable farming families to diversify into non agricultural activity. Retaining young people in farming by helping them to develop alternative sources of income and alternative employment opportunities is also a key issue.

The scheme has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Peter Howells from NFU Cymru said: “With farm incomes in Wales continuing to be squeezed by increasingly volatile global markets, NFU Cymru welcomes the Supporting Farmers to Diversify grant scheme recently launched in Carmarthenshire which will help farming families to develop alternative sources of income.”

Funding of up to £50,000 is available for eligible projects to develop new enterprises, convert redundant buildings and purchase capital equipment. Diversification in to areas such as flower-arranging, catering, carpentry, tourism attractions, rental of farm buildings and online businesses – to name but a few – will be considered for grant assistance.

Alice James is the Project Officer working with farming households to implement the grant scheme. Alice is from a farming background herself and has previously worked with Antur Teifi on various schemes that included roles as a Farming Connect facilitator and a Social enterprise advisor. Alice says “We’ve already had lots of enquiries, with ideas ranging from carpentry workshops or tourism attractions to children’s crèche and catering. We’re looking forward to helping these ideas become realities for the farming families who apply.”

The first round of application submissions is taking place now. Farmers interested in developing new enterprises are encouraged to contact Alice to discuss the eligibility of their project as soon as possible to ensure they don’t miss out.