Supporting Farmers to Diversify

Descriptions

The Authority wishes to commission the Supplier to tender for the provision of a service to assist in the successful delivery of the ‘Supporting Farmers to Diversify’ project which has received funding under the Rural Development Plan (RDP) 2007 – 2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.The purpose of this tender is to appoint a suitable organisation to deliver the ‘Supporting Farmers to Diversify’ grant scheme in rural wards of Carmarthenshire on behalf of the Carmarthenshire Partnership – Grwp Cefn Gwlad and the Lead Body. The project will broaden the economic base of rural Carmarthenshire whilst safeguarding the future of farming families by maintaining and increasing the income of farm households; providing the necessary capital resource required to enable farming families to diversify into non agricultural activity; and retaining young people in the farming industry by helping them to develop alternative sources of income and alternative employment opportunities.The aim of the project is to broaden the economic base of rural Carmarthenshire whilst safeguarding the future of farming families. The main objectives of the project are to: - maintain and increase the income of farm households in rural Carmarthenshire - provide the necessary capital resource required to enable farming families to diversify into non agricultural activity - retain young people in the farming industry by helping them to develop alternative sources of income and alternative employment opportunities The project comprises of a £1.5m capital grant scheme which will provide a one off payment to farming households seeking to diversify into non agricultural activity. Capital grants will be made available for: - The conversion of redundant buildings to enable farmers to diversify into new business opportunities. Capital grant assistant of between £10,000 and £50,000 will be made available. - The purchase of capital equipment that is essential to enable the farmer to diversify into new business opportunities. Capital grant assistant of between £1,000 and £10,000 will be made available.The maximum total contract value is £242,522 which is inclusive of match funding. There is a minimum requirement for the supplier to contribute 20.083% match funding towards the total contract cost.