Young farmer who utilised Farming Connect services secures farm tenancy

A young farmer is farming in his own right after gaining support and confidence through Farming Connect initiatives to apply for the tenancy.

Aled Harper, a qualified carpenter, grew up on a smallholding in Pembrokeshire and had set his sights on one day having his own holding and establishing a catering business as an outlet for home-produced lamb and pork.

To progress his ambitions, he joined an Agrisgôp group, a fully-funded Farming Connect management development programme that encourages eligible farmers to get together to take forward business ideas.

He also secured 22 hours of Farming Connect one-to-one mentoring with the Agrisgôp group leader, LilwenJoynson.

The support, guidance and confidence those initiatives gave Aled resulted in him applying for the tenancy of a 32-acre county council farm a short distance from the family holding at Snipes Bay, Camrose.

“The other Agrisgôp members gave me very good reasons why I should go for it and, because opportunities like that don’t come around very often, I felt I should try for it,’’ explains 26-year-old Aled.

He had already been exploring with Lilwen and the group his ideas for a catering business so the tenancy offered the opportunity to farm more pigs and sheep to supply that enterprise, over and above the livestock he runs on his parents’ smallholding.

When he received the call informing him he had been awarded the five-year Farm Business Tenancy it was a dream come true.

“It is a little daunting that the dream has now become reality so it is good to have the continued one-to-one mentoring and membership of the Agrisgôp group to help me through the next steps,’’ Aled says.

He has also secured Farming Connect Advisory Service funding for business planning and marketing advice to progress his catering business.

The package of support provided by Farming Connect has been invaluable, he admits.

“When Lilwen and I meet for the one-to-one mentoring we set a goal that I have to achieve before the next meeting based on the discussion we have had during that session.

“I have also gained so much from Agrisgôp, we bounce ideas around and many of the ideas we present at the group are improved by the input of the other members.’’

Aled encourages others to also grasp the opportunities available through Farming Connect.

“We are very lucky in Wales to have Farming Connect and all the support and advice that provides. I am sure I wouldn’t be at this point now had it not been for that.’’

Ffermwr ifanc a ddefnyddiodd wasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio’n sicrhau tenantiaeth fferm

 Mae ffermwr ifanc yn ffermio ar ei liwt ei hun ar ôl cael cymorth a hyder drwy fentrau Cyswllt Ffermio i wneud cais am y denantiaeth.

Magwyd Aled Harper, saer cymwysedig, ar fân ddaliad yn Sir Benfro ac roedd â’i fryd ar gael ei ddaliad ei hun un diwrnod a sefydlu busnes arlwyo er mwyn gwerthu cig oen a phorc cartref.

Er mwyn gwireddu ei uchelgeisiau, ymunodd â grŵpAgrisgôp, rhaglen datblygu rheolaeth Cyswllt Ffermio a ariennir yn llawn sy’n annog ffermwyr cymwys i ddod ynghyd i ddatblygu syniadau busnes.

Hefyd cafodd 22 awr o fentora un i un Cyswllt Ffermio gyda’r arweinydd grŵp Agrisgôp, Lilwen Joynson.

Yn sgil y cymorth, y cyfarwyddyd a’r hyder a gafodd Aled drwy’r mentrau hynny gwnaeth gais am denantiaeth fferm gyngor 32 erw heb fod ymhell o ddaliad y teulu ynSnipes Bay, Camros.

“Rhoddodd aelodau eraill Agrisgôp resymau da iawn pam y dylwn fynd amdani, ac oherwydd nad yw cyfleoedd o’r fath yn codi’n aml iawn, teimlais y dylwn fynd amdani,” eglurodd Aled sy’n 26 oed.

Roedd eisoes wedi bod yn ystyried ei syniadau ar gyfer busnes arlwyo gyda Lilwen a’r grŵp, felly roedd y denantiaeth yn gyfle iddo ffermio mwy o foch a defaid i gyflenwi’r fenter honno, yn ychwanegol at y da byw sydd ganddo ar fân ddaliad ei rieni.

Pan gafodd yr alwad yn dweud wrtho ei fod wedi’i ddewis ar gyfer y Denantiaeth Busnes Fferm 5 mlynedd gwireddwyd ei freuddwyd.

“Rydw i ychydig yn betrus gan fod y freuddwyd bellach wedi dod yn wir, felly mae’n braf cael gwasanaeth mentora un i un o hyd a bod yn aelod o’r grŵp Agrisgôp i fy helpu drwy’r camau nesaf,’’ meddai Aled.

Hefyd sicrhaodd gyllid ar gyfer cynllunio busnes gan Wasanaeth Cynghori Cyswllt Ffermio a chyngor ynghylch marchnata i ddatblygu ei fusnes arlwyo.

Mae’r pecyn cymorth gan Cyswllt Ffermio wedi bod yn amhrisiadwy, mae’n cyfaddef.

“Pan mae Lilwen a minnau’n cyfarfod ar gyfer sesiwn fentora un i un, byddwn yn gosod nod i mi ei gyflawni cyn y cyfarfod nesaf yn seiliedig ar y drafodaeth yn ystod y sesiwn honno.

“Rwyf wedi elwa cymaint ar Agrisgôp, mae pawb yn cynnig syniadau ac mae nifer ohonynt yn cael eu gwella yn sgil mewnbwn aelodau eraill y grŵp.’’

Mae Aled yn annog eraill i fanteisio ar y cyfleoedd sydd ar gael drwy raglen Cyswllt Ffermio.

“Rydym yn ffodus iawn o gael Cyswllt Ffermio yng Nghymru a’r holl gymorth a chyngor mae’n ei gynnig. Rwy’n siŵr na fuaswn i wedi cyrraedd lle’r ydw i nawr oni bai amdano.’’