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The Maltese Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs has launched four schemes as part of the Rural Development programme. Their purpose is to strengthen the rural sector and ensure its sustainability.
The new round of funding, worth €8 million, consists of four measures namely:
• helping agricultural businesses invest in new technology,
• promote locally grown produce,
• conserve genetic resources unique to Malta, and
• the setting up of producers' organisations.
Measure 121 - Modernisation of Agricultural farms
The purpose is to modernise farms and enhance their economic performance by introducing new technologies, innovation in production methods, development and diversification of local produce. This measure caters for initiatives regarding the natural environment, hygienic conditions and the maintenance of animals in farms.
Measure 133 - Information and promotion activities on food quality schemes
The overall aim of this measure is to support producer groups to promote products that have been certified under one of the Community or national food quality schemes. This will in turn improve awareness of the existence and specifications of the existing products available on the market. The intention is to promote the sale of agricultural food products conforming to any one of the established quality schemes and to increase the demand for these products thereby improving the financial situation of the producer groups.
Measure 214 - Support for the conservation of genetic resources in agriculture
This call aims to conserve and possibly also reverse the trend of erosion of genetic resources in agriculture, including plant species and varieties and livestock breeds. The objective is to be achieved through project type actions directly focused on conservation procedures, both specialised and technical, that will in broad terms include ex-situ and in-situ conservation.
Measure 142 – Setting up of Producer Groups
The aim of this measure is to improve the market efficiency of the agricultural sector by encouraging and supporting the setting up of producer groups. These groups shall then have the ability to adapt their production and output to market requirements to support the placing of goods in the market. This includes the preparation and presentation of goods for the centralization of sales as well as the supply to bulk buyers.
Applications for funding may be submitted up to 2nd December 2011.
For further information about EU funding, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it