Inishowen Developement Fund has been awarded a contract as part of the new €1.5 billion Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), proposed as part of Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan (CSP).
ACRES Co-operation builds on the learnings of the current successful European Innovation Partnership projects (EIPs) and, using a habitats-based approach, aims to contribute significantly to long-term environmental improvement.
Donegal farmers participating in the ACRES Co-operation will be supported by a team who will assist with the implementation and development of the scheme at local level using the proven, collaborative approach trialled in the EIPs.
Attending an announcement of the scheme, Taoiseach Michael Martin TD said: Climate change is a threat to all of us and to our way of life and the agriculture sector has a crucial role to meet the challenge, while creating resilient farms for generations to come.
“Some 50,000 farmers will be supported directly under this scheme to deliver measurable climate, biodiversity and water quality gains.”
Farmers will be able to identify the ACRES approach for which they are eligible by logging on to the Department’s online system (AgFood) from Wednesday the 22nd of June.