Welsh Government to revolutionise Rural Communities

Plans to use more than £900m to transform rural Wales will be unveiled today by the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans.

The Deputy Minister will launch Welsh Government Rural Communities – Wales’ new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 – and open four new schemes, together worth close to £30m.

Welsh Government Rural Communities will focus the significant investment from Welsh Government and the European Union to revitalise communities, protect our natural resources, tackle climate change and stimulate growth and create jobs across the country.
Rebecca Evans said,

“In Wales we have the highest proportion of people living in rural areas in the UK, and Welsh Government Rural Communities is perfectly placed to help them thrive.

“These funds have previously provided huge support to rural communities and agricultural businesses, but it is vital we strive to do more. Welsh Government Rural Communities, including the schemes I am announcing today, highlight the kind of opportunities we can create right across Wales – stimulating rural economies and increasing job opportunities to make a lasting difference to the lives of people in Wales. What we do today must be with a view to maximising the enormous opportunities there are in rural Wales, for the good of our future generations.

“Welsh Government Rural Communities will be more ambitious, innovative, and adaptable than previous programmes as we look to generate economic activity across the nation, but also ensure we act sustainably in all we do and secure maximum value for every pound spent.

“I want us to safeguard and enhance our natural resources, and support the wider rural economy so that the fabric of rural Wales is increasingly more resilient and sustainable.”

The Deputy Minister will announce that she is to launch four key initiatives in achieving the goals of Welsh Government Rural Communities and that these will open on 20th and 27th of July.

They are the Rural Community Development Fund which will improve community cohesion through measures like community transport and connectivity, the Sustainable Production Grant, which aims to improve agricultural business resilience, Food Business Investment Scheme with a focus on jobs in the food sector, and part of the Co-operation programme which will allow us to begin to progress creating innovative products and sustainable local collaborative Strategic Initiative* projects on areas like woodlands, food innovation and the red meat sector.