Spain is to allow farmland with solar panels to be potentially eligible for funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

This eligibility will be dependent on the agricultural activity on the land continuing.

The country's government approved an amendment to various provisions of Spain's CAP Strategic Plan "to improve some aspects".

The government decree amending the CAP plan says (translated from Spanish): "Among other aspects, it includes the recognition of agrivoltaic systems as potentially eligible areas for CAP aid, provided that the priority nature of agricultural activity in maintained.

"This measure responds to the need to promote sustainable models of agricultural and energy production, without compromising the agricultural use of the soil," the decree said.

The technical details of how solar panels and agricultural activity can be in place on the same land will be worked out later, the government said.

"This measure represents a flexibility that will allow more farmers to benefit from support and offer new opportunities to diversify their incomes without compromising agricultural land use," the government said.

Apart from the amendment regarding solar panels on farmland, the Spanish government has also moved to change aspects of the country's eco-scheme under CAP.

A requirement to keep a minimum cover of vegetation in some parts of the land holding will be removed, and there will be a single minimum figure of 7% of land set aside for biodiversity on mixed farms with different land types.

The Spanish government also announced amendments in other areas of its CAP Strategic Plan, including sectoral interventions in fruit, vegetables and wine, as well as farm transfers.

CAP payments

In CAP developments closer to home, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has announced the commencement of advance payments under Ireland's 2025 Eco-Scheme.

The minister said yesterday (Wednesday, October 23): “I am delighted to confirm that advance payments under the Eco-Scheme, worth €194.5 million to 109,853 farmers, have commenced.

"The aim of Ireland’s Eco-Scheme is to reward farmers for undertaking actions beneficial to the climate, environment, water quality and biodiversity. Eco-Scheme payments are a vital support for farmers," the minister added.

The payment rate to farmers in 2025 will be €66 per eligible hectare.

Minister Heydon said: "My department remains committed to ensuring that all scheme payments continue to issue in the most efficient way possible to ensure that these vital supports are delivered to farmers in a timely manner.

"Today, 93% of all 2025 Eco-Scheme eligible applicants have been paid in line with the department's commitment under the Farmers' Charter to pay 90% of eligible applicants," he added.