2024 CALL SCHEDULE FOR IPARD III PROGRAMME IS ANNOUNCED
MINISTER YUMAKLI: “GRANT SUPPORT OF 785 MILLION EUROS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE OVER A PERIOD OF 7 YEARS, IN SCOPE OF THE IPARD III PROGRAMME EXTENDED TO COVER 81 PROVINCES”
“WE CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE RURAL DEVELOPMENT WITH THE NEW SECTORS INCLUDED IN SCOPE OF THE IPARD III PROGRAMME”
ARDSI, an affiliated body of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, announces a schedule for the calls of 2024. Minister İbrahim Yumaklı remarked that the IPARD III Programme to be applicable as of 2024 has been extended to cover 81 provinces and 785 million euros of grant is to be made available for projects in the 7-year programme period.
Minister Yumaklı, in a written statement, reminded that a total of 44.7 billion TL grant support has been provided to 25,243 projects under the IPARD I and II Rural Development Programs, implemented by the Ministry since 2011 and jointly financed by the Republic of Türkiye and the European Union.
Highlighting that the grants have contributed to a total investment of 95 billion TL in the country's rural areas, covering a wide range from animal production to processing of agricultural and aquatic products, rural tourism, beekeeping, and renewable energy, Yumaklı emphasized that approximately 100,000 job opportunities have been created.
Yumaklı announced a new practice by disclosing the annual timetable for calls to be issued by ARDSI in 2024 for the first time, stating, "Applicants will be able to prepare their projects comfortably in advance. Subsequently, the application review processes will be expedited to be more effective."
He further stated, "With the IPARD III Program to be implemented from 2024 onwards, we will provide grant support totaling 785 million euros over a period of 7 years. The biggest innovation of the new Program period is that we will expand the implementation area of the IPARD Program, which we have implemented in 42 provinces so far, nationwide. Thus, entrepreneurs in all 81 provinces of our country will have access to IPARD funds for their investments in agriculture-food and rural development, and investors and farmers from all over our country will be able to benefit from our grant supports."
"248 MILLION EURO GRANT SUPPORT IN 2024"
Yumaklı drew attention to the increase in the financing budget of the IPARD III Program from 555 million euros to 785 million euros as a result of negotiations with the European Union. He stated, "It is envisaged to provide a total of 248 million euros in grant support for investments in agri-food and rural development through projects to be supported within the scope of the application announcements planned to be published in 2024."
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Yumaklı, stating that they shared the timetable for the calls to be made by the TKDK in 2024 today, announced that they will publish the IPARD III 1st Call for Proposals on Thursday, March 21, 2024, with a budget of 66 million euros for ' Investments in Physical Assets Concerning Processing and Marketing of Agricultural and Fishery Products’. Yumaklı went on to say:
“Taking into account the contributions to be made by our beneficiaries; we aim for a total investment of 450 million euros in rural areas and the creation of 20 thousand new employment opportunities in our country's economy only during the call periods of the IPARD III Program in 2024.
Thus, as in previous program periods, in the new program period as well, the IPARD Funds will continue to be an important source of financing for entrepreneurs planning to invest in the agriculture and food sectors. In addition, new support areas such as rural infrastructure investments and consultancy services, as well as newly included sectors such as egg processing, forage crop cultivation, vermicompost production, and marine aquaculture will provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to invest in different areas. We continue to develop rural areas with the sectors we have newly included in the IPARD III program."
CALL AND APPLICATION PERIODS
According to the timetable announced by Minister Yumaklı, the dates and budgets of the calls by measures are planned as follows: 66 million euros for the measure “Investments in Physical Assets Concerning Processing and Marketing of Agricultural and Fishery Products” to be announced on March 21, 80 million euros for the measure “Farm Diversification and Business Development” to be announced in June, 90 million euros for the measure “Investments in Physical Assets of Agricultural Holdings” to be announced in July, and 12 million euros for the measure “Farm Diversification and Business Development (Machinery & Equipment Support for Outdoor Plant Production Projects)” in August. The application periods for the calls will be in May, July, August and September respectively.
