Written answers
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Departmental Funding
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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110. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the allocation under the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas fund in 2015 to each of the following elements of the 2015 work programme: pilot scheme for the development of female rural entrepreneurs, social farming, village and town regeneration and agri-tourism projects; the definition of social farming being used for the purpose of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27958/15]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Funding of €1 million has been provided in this Department’s 2015 Vote for pilot innovative projects which progress the CEDRA remit. Fuller details of the proposed schemes were set out in my reply to your recent Parliamentary Question 26568/15. The current provisional allocations are in the following table:
| € | - |
|---|---|
| €130,000 | Programme to develop Female Rural Entrepreneurs |
| €20,000 | Development and dissemination of a pilot web–portal to link in one site all training/diversification/business development opportunities & events in two pilot regions, operated through Teagasc |
| €330,000 | Combined allocation for existing Social Farming projects and existing or start up community based food/artisan/craft markets or shops in villages/small towns |
| €40,000 | Social Farming initiatives under SoFAB operated through Leitrim Development Company |
| €475,000 | Proposals are being formulated for a competitive call on agri-tourism projects with a particular emphasis on food, beverages and the marine. Sanction is required from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
Social farming is described as the practice of offering, on a voluntary basis, farming, horticultural and animal related work experience as a choice to people who avail of a range of day support services. This novel social support service allows people choose to participate in therapeutic outdoor agriculture related activities in a non–clinical environment. These operations can be run in a number of settings ranging from working family farms, local community initiatives through to a more institutional framework.
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