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5.3.1 AXIS 1: IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY SECTOR

5.3.1.1 Measures aimed at promoting knowledge and improving human potential

5.3.1.1.1 Vocational training and information actions

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (Land Managers Options and Rural Priorities)

Article 20(a)(i)

Measure Code (111)

Rationale for Intervention

Training and skills enhancement are an essential part of the response of farmers and foresters to recent reform to the CAP and new policy priorities. A market-based approach to production and the delivery of a wide range of social and environmental outcomes are two key challenges for which the right range and level of skills are required. Training is essential if we are to encourage the development of financially viable, competitive and environmentally sustainable land-based businesses. Training will also help to maximise the benefits of other measures within Axes 1 and 2 of the SRDP.

Objectives

This measure aims to improve skills among land managers to deliver the economic and environmental objectives of the SRDP. Specific objectives are to support training that improves business competitiveness, facilitates restructuring and diversification, and enhances land management skills to deliver environmental and other benefits.

Scope and actions

This training measure encompasses four separate operations which, taken together, cover Axes 1 and 2. The first operation will be delivered through Rural Development Contracts - Land Managers Options. The second and third operations will be delivered through Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities. The fourth operation will be delivered as a stand-alone operation outside Rural Development Contracts.

Operation 1: Support to individual land managers (including farmers, crofters and foresters) to improve the skills present within agriculture and forestry, promoting a greater range of activities and improving competitiveness in the rural economy.

Operation 2: Support to individual land managers (including farmers, crofters and foresters) towards the cost of training courses either required under or contributing towards delivery of other Axes 1 and 2 measures included within the SRDP.

Operation 3: Support to groups of land managers (including farmers, crofters and foresters) towards the cost of group training courses aimed at improving their business or land management skills; and

Operation 4: Support towards the setting up and running of group training initiatives (workshops, training programmes and other group events) aimed at improving land managers' business or land management skills.

The measure will not support courses which form part of normal programmes or systems of agricultural or forestry education at secondary or higher levels. Nor will it support training that is required for or leads to a certificate, licence, diploma or other qualification that is required to carry out the beneficiary's basic work activities.

Beneficiaries

Operation 1: Persons involved in land management businesses who are eligible to apply for support under Rural Development Contracts - Land Managers Options.

Operation 2: Persons eligible to apply for any of the Axes 1 and 2 measures in Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities as part of their application for support under that measure or measures.

Operation 3: Persons involved in land management (including farming, crofting and forestry) and who belong to an existing group of similar persons which has been set up to improve their land or business management performance.

Operation 4: Organisations (except commercial training providers) involved in promoting or supporting the development of land or business management skills among Scottish land managers (including farmers, crofters and foresters).

Indicators and targets

This measure will be monitored on the basis of the number of land managers accessing additional skills development opportunities and the types of training being accessed. Effectiveness of the training will be measured in relation to the individual projects (for individual beneficiaries, in terms of their performance in delivering the aims of the other measure to which the training is attached; and for group initiatives, in terms of the impact of the training on participants' business development or land management practices).

The target for this measure, over the lifetime of the Programme is to involve at least 10,000 adult persons engaged in land management in training events which improve or extend their business or land management skills, in support of the objective of an economically viable, competitive and environmentally sustainable land management industry.

Description of the operations (including types of training)

The Rural Development Contract - Land Managers Options operation will offer grant support to individual land managers (including farmers, crofters and foresters), their immediate family and employees, towards the cost of training courses aimed at improving their business, marketing, management or technical skills or enabling them to diversify into other activities. Grants will not be provided for courses attracting funding from other public sources.

The Rural Development Contract - Rural Priorities operation offers grant support to individual land managers (farmers, crofters, foresters and other land managers), their immediate family and employees towards the cost of training courses which relate directly to an application for funding under any other Axes 1 or 2 measure included in Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities. The beneficiary will have to provide details of the course, the provider and the cost, along with an explanation of why the course is needed and how it will improve delivery of the primary measure, on application for the primary measure. Grants will not be provided for courses attracting funding from other public sources.

For applications by existing farmer, crofter, forester or other land manager groups, grant support will be offered for vocational training which takes forward the objectives of the group and falls within the following categories:

• Information and communications technology ( ICT)
• Business skills, including marketing and promotion;
• Conservation and environmental skills;
• Diversification opportunities;
• Managing resources;
• Self- and staff management;
• Looking at new ways of working;
• Technical skills;
• On-farm food production and processing skills.

To be eligible, a group must comprise at least 10 eligible businesses. Grants will not be provided for courses attracting funding from other public sources.

For setting up and running group training initiatives, grant support will be offered towards the costs of setting up and managing initiatives that meet the land or business management priorities of the SRDP and that fill a gap in existing provision or represent a new and effective way of providing training in an area where existing provision has not achieved the desired outcome. Labour costs cannot be supported under this measure.

Justification

Because of financial constraints and other pressures such as accessibility and time pressures, land managers do not routinely access training other than technical training directly related to their core activities. The changing structure of the market and the increasing emphasis on delivery of public goods (which benefit society as a whole but not necessarily the individual farmer) mean that land managers need to improve their skills base if the industry is to remain financially viable, competitive and environmentally sustainable. To achieve the necessary industry-wide improvement in the skills base, support and encouragement for individual land managers is needed, in the form of grant funding towards the costs of training and new forms of training that are more accessible.

This measure is intended to address the skills shortages by helping farmers and other land managers to meet the costs of training and by supporting new skills development initiatives aimed at providing more effective and accessible training and knowledge transfer. Without such support, the full benefits of other SRDP measures would not be realised and the industry as a whole would not be as economically and environmentally sustainable as it should be.

Rate of support

For individual beneficiaries under Rural Development Contracts - Land Managers Options, a grant rate of 75% of the cost of the course, up to a maximum of €730, will be provided.

For individual beneficiaries under Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities, a grant rate of 75% of the cost of the course will be provided to successful beneficiaries.

For group applications, a grant rate of 75% of the cost of the training course will be provided to successful beneficiaries. An additional grant of 10% of the cost of the course fees will also be payable to the group member who organises the training on behalf of the group.

For the development and running of new training initiatives, a grant rate of up to 75% will be offered, subject to demonstration of additionality and value for money. In considering whether to offer grant in a particular case, consideration will also be given to the level of industry buy-in ( e.g. funding or resources contributed by individual participants or industry bodies) and to the contribution being made by other bodies involved in the project. In any event, the total public sector contribution will not exceed 100% of the cost of the initiative. The grant will be based on actual costs involved, including development costs, accommodation costs, facilitation costs, the cost of trainers, essential course materials and management of the initiative.

Demarcation role with other EU financial instruments ( ESF)

Under the ESF there will be limited training in the agricultural, food and forestry sectors. We will ensure through regular meetings between the management authorities for ESF and EAFRD that there is no possibility of double funding and any intervention is for additionality only.

Quantified targets for EU common indicators

# Impact indicators will be estimated based on output and result indicators

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