The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has outlined how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be implemented in Ireland for agriculture and the environment and one element of the strategic plans is eco-schemes.
A public consultation has kicked off in recent days on the proposed interventions outlined in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, as designed by the department.
DAFM has said that the aim of the eco-scheme intervention is to provide additional direct income support to farmers for undertaking actions beneficial to the climate and the wider environment.
Proposed structure of eco-schemes
This intervention will be implemented annually, with farmers having the opportunity to opt in or out on an annual basis.
Farmers will apply through the Basic Income Support for Sustainability scheme (BISS) application from 2023 onwards.
The “agricultural practices” or actions that constitute the eco-scheme will be over and above conditionality requirements.
The scheme will be implemented through targeting of relevant “agricultural practices” and will provide the opportunity for as many farmers as possible to take up the most appropriate actions or intensity of actions on their farm.
Contributory actions in eco-schemes
According to DAFM, the scheme will seek to maximise the benefits for the environment and may include actions that will contribute to:
- Climate change mitigation, including reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agri practices, maintenance of existing carbon stores, enhancement of carbon sequestration;
- Climate change adaptation, including actions to improve resilience of food production systems, and animal and plant diversity for stronger resistance to diseases and climate change;
- Protection or improvement of water quality and reduction of pressure on water resources;
- Prevention of soil degradation, soil restoration, improvement of soil fertility and of nutrient management and soil biota.
Other actions which will be considered involve the protection of biodiversity, conservation or restoration of habitats or species, including maintenance and creation of landscape features or non-productive areas.
Actions for a sustainable and reduced use of pesticides, particularly pesticides that present a risk for human health or environment will also be considered, or actions to enhance animal welfare or address antimicrobial resistance.
The design of the scheme will be key to ensure high levels of participation.
Sample measures in the CAP Strategic Plan
Example measures currently under consideration include:
- Farmers committing to devoting more of their land to non-productive areas and features than is required under GAEC 9;
- High nature value actions such as extensive livestock production, where farmers maintain a low stocking rate resulting in water quality improvements due to the reduced requirement for artificial fertiliser to grow more grass;
- Hedgerow management and reduced input of chemical nitrogen.
Criteria for eligibility
Eco-schemes will be open to all active farmers in the country, or groups of active farmers.
Eligible beneficiaries will be required to submit a BISS application in respect of each year of participation in the schemes.
Eligible beneficiaries will have to opt in or out on an annual basis.
Financial allocation
According to the department, support is based on an annual payment for all eligible hectares covered by the commitments, i.e. farmers will receive payment on all eligible hectares on their holding.
Payments can be made additional to the basic income support, or based on additional costs incurred and income foregone.
The options for payment are still under consideration and will be set out as the eco-scheme measure is finalised.
An expected 130,000 eligible farmers could participate in the scheme, and the payment per hectare will be impacted by the expected participation and the expected uptake of various actions.
Based on the ringfencing for eco-schemes of 25% of the direct payments ceiling, the annual indicative allocation for this intervention is estimated at approximately €297 million per annum.
This amounts to a total indicative financial allocation of approximately €1.48 billion for the period 2023-2027.
However, funding allocations under the direct payment ceiling are interlinked and are subject to change depending on decisions related to capping, convergence, use of eco-scheme rebate and redistribution flexibilities.