1st August 2017

The RDPE Countryside Productivity Scheme provides funding for projects in England which improve productivity in the farming and forestry sectors and help create jobs and growth in the rural economy.

Under the RDPE Countryside Productivity Scheme, there are grants for:

• water resource management and reservoirs
• improving forestry productivity

Water Resource Management

These grants are to improve farm productivity through more efficient use
of water for irrigation, and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation by the
construction of on-farm reservoirs.

Grant funding can help pay for:

• construction of a water storage reservoir (above or below ground)filled by either peak flow surface water abstraction, borehole or rainwater harvested from buildings
• abstraction point, pump and pipework to fill the reservoir
• irrigation pump, controls, underground water distribution main
• water metering equipment
• best practice application equipment such as boom or trickle irrigation
• software and sensors to optimise water application

Forestry

These grants are to improve forestry productivity through felling, extraction
and adding value by primary processing of timber products.

Grant funding can help pay for:

• increasing economic return through more efficient felling and
  extraction processes
• adding value to felled timber by primary processing

The deadline for applications is 3rd April 2018 and the minimum grant available is £35,000 for up to a maximum of 40% of eligible costs

Contact your nearest office for more information