Funding for the SRDP comes from three sources:
- The Scottish Government
- The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
- Voluntary Modulation
Around two-thirds of funding for the Programme will come from Scottish Government resources, which represents an enormous national investment.
Modulation enables funding to be redirected from Common Agricultural Policy resources under Pillar 1 to Rural Development measures under Pillar 2.
We have brought together a wide range of activities under the SRDP umbrella which will provide more flexibility in meeting our policy objectives.
A significant proportion of the total funding is already committed (as an overhang from the previous programme).
The three key themes (or 'Axes') of the European Commission Regulation ( EC 1698/2005) on support for rural development are:
- Axis 1 - Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector
- Axis 2 - Improving the environment and the countryside
- Axis 3 - Improving the quality of life in rural areas and diversification of the rural economy
There is also a fourth Axis that uses the LEADER approach to deliver a locally-driven approach to innovation and development administered by local partnerships.