The estimated budget of the call for the provision of 53 million euros in free agricultural advice to farmers amounts to 53 million euros, as the support will cover 100% of the cost of the advice through public expenditure, according to a joint decision of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).
Through the call, certified Agricultural Advisory Service Providers will be funded for the provision of advisory services to farmers.
The beneficiaries will be professional farmers and young male and female farmers, so that they can improve the sustainable management and overall performance of their holding and be supported in making sound decisions for its overall technical, economic and environmental management.
The joint decision provides, among other things, for the simplification of checks during the inclusion process, in relation to the corresponding sub-Measure 2.1 of the RDP 2014-2022.
An important part of the conditions that candidate Agricultural Advisory Service Providers must meet is now checked during the certification process of the Providers and their Agricultural Advisors by ELGO-DIMITRA, in accordance with the national framework for Agricultural Advisory Services.
At the same time, many eligible types of advice are provided for, which can more fully cover farmers' needs.
Indicatively, advice is included on digital technologies in agriculture, on animal welfare and their infectious diseases for livestock farmers, specialized services for young and new-entry farmers, as well as advice on compliance with conditionality.
The principles of the selection criteria are also simplified, with emphasis on priority beneficiaries, such as young farmers and livestock farmers, as well as on the capabilities of the candidate Provider.
Finally, Agricultural Advisory Service Providers that have been certified and registered in the corresponding ELGO-DIMITRA Registry on the date of submission of the support application may be deemed eligible.
SOURCE: ANA-MPA