Lm2.5m in funding for farmers and herdsmen

A total of €6 million (Lm2.5 million) are available to local farmers and herdsmen as part of the European Union Structural Fund Programme for 2004-2006, Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino said yesterday.

He was speaking at a seminar on rural development.

Two schemes, financed partly by the European Union and partly by the Maltese government, are available for farmers and herdsmen, he said. Seventy per cent of both schemes are financed by the EU with the balance coming from the government.

The schemes will see successful applicants getting 50 per cent of their total investment paid, so long as the total expenditure is between Lm500 and Lm100,000.

The first scheme will exceed Lm1.5 million in funding and aims to help farmers and herdsmen cut their production expenses and strengthen their production system.

The minister said every application will be evaluated by a selection committee according to certain criteria and the projects which get the highest number of points will be chosen.

Over Lm950,000 have been allocated for the second scheme, which aims to bring about an improvement in the processing and promotion of agriculture products. Mr Pullicino said the scheme is intended to help farmers and herdsmen with investments to improve or establish new markets for agricultural products.

Mr Pullicino said the measures in question were among a number drawn up to provide millions of euros to the local agricultural sector.

Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius said two schemes targeted specifically at herdsmen would be announced shortly. He said in the next two-and-a-half years about €40 million will be distributed to farmers and herdsmen.

Dr Agius said this was a unique opportunity.