Rural Development Plan - Organic Centre Wales

The Rural Development Plan

The Rural Development Plan (RDP) is the source of much funding in support of rural Wales.

The European Council Regulation on support for Rural Development (from the European Agriculture Fund of Rural Development (EAFRD)) sets the framework for rural development support programmes including agri-environmental and Leader schemes for 2007–2013.

The Wales RDP consists of four key areas for action (Axes):

Axis 1 – Improving the competitiveness of the Agricultural and Forestry Sector
Axis 2 – Improving the Environment and the Countryside
Axis 3 – The Quality of Life in Rural Areas and Diversification of the Rural Economy
Axis 4 - LEADER

The Plan will run from 2007–2013 with a total budget of £795m of which £195m represents the contribution from EU funding sources.

Sue Fowler, Director of Organic Centre Wales is on the Wales Rural Network which was set up to support the implementation and evaluation of the RDP through the exchange of good practice and experience.

For more information, see the RDP pages on the Welsh Assembly Government website.

AXIS 1

Applications to the Processing and Marketing and Supply Chain Efficiency grant schemes (under Axis 1) may now be submitted.

OCW worked with organic sectoral businesses and has been granted Supply Chain Efficiency funding to support the organic sector in Wales. See the Better Organic Business Links webpage. If you would like to be involved please contact .

Organic Centre Wales runs the Organic Development Programme as part of Farming Connect.

AXIS 2

See above for information on the Organic Farming Scheme, which falls under Axis 2 of the RDP.

AXES 3 & 4

Organic Centre Wales has provided an information page on accessing Rural Development Plan funds under Axes 3 and 4.

Providing information on organic food and farming in Wales