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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced the availability of Non-Productive Investments for participants in the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) operated by his department under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Confirming that ACRES Advisors will shortly be able to apply for Non-Productive Investments (NPI’s) on behalf of participants in Co-operation Project (CP) areas, the Minister said:
“The inclusion of a specific approach in identified high environmental priority areas across the country, namely the ACRES Co-operation approach, was a major development in the design of ACRES. While participants in those areas can earn up to €7,000 each year based on an assessment of the environmental quality of their lands, there is also an opportunity to enhance their lands through access to further funding for NPIs. I am pleased to advise that a proposed list of NPIs has been drawn up by the ACRES CP teams in conjunction with my department. These NPIs are an integral part of the ACRES scheme that will help farmers better manage their lands. Such investment may in turn result in higher scores being achieved for their lands, which should consequently increase their annual results-based payment.”
The proposed list of NPI’s, which is subject to completion of a Scheme- level Appropriate Assessment process, is now available on the department’s website, with the associated draft specifications to be available shortly.
To support advisors with the NPI application process, and to ensure that the right action is undertaken in the right place, the Minister added:
“My department will shortly be providing training to ACRES advisors in respect of the deployment of NPIs. The ACRES CP teams within the eight CP zones are also available to help advisors through the process.”
It is intended that the system for applying for NPIs for ACRES participants in the CP zones will open later this month.
Comprehensive information in relation to ACRES is available on the department’s website.
The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2027.
The Scheme is jointly funded by the European Union and the national exchequer.
There are two approaches within the Scheme:
1. ACRES General, available nationally (outside of the high priority geographical area as defined for the ACRES Co-operation approach below), which offers a range of measures (both prescription and result-based); and
2. ACRES Co-operation, available to farmers in defined high priority geographical areas. Map in Annex 1 of the ACRES Terms and Conditions for Tranche 1 shows the 8 ACRES Co-operation Project (‘CP’) zones.
A farmer may only enter a contract for one of the approaches and may not participate in both ACRES General and ACRES Co-operation.
Participants in the ACRES Co-operation approach have the opportunity to apply for tailored Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions. A draft list of NPIs has been developed by the ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) teams in conjunction with the department to assist with the delivery of environmental outputs/improvement at local level.
ACRES Co-operation participants will be able to apply for these investments annually.
There are 3 categories of proposed NPIs:
The NPI category list is published on the department’s website, which also has further information about where the relevant investments may be located, the amount of funding available and the associated payment rates.