NRN Publishes Report on Encouraging Enterprise at Farm Level Post 2013

Farm income is a volatile, subject to significant fluctuations from year to year. One of the ways in which farm income volatility can be addressed is by adding value to the outputs of the farm and by maximising the use of farm resources of all types – land, capital, buildings, labour and operator skills/abilities. Many of the ways in which this might be addressed were supported under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) (2007-2013). In addition to the RDP, supports are also provided in other areas such as advice and guidance, information transfer, farm forestry among others. The Axis 3 Diversification into Non-Agricultural Activities measure of the RDP 2007-2013 had as its objective ‘to significantly increase the percentage of holdings where the fixed assets of the farm are utilised in any non-agricultural activity by a member of the farm household for economic gain’. Local Development Companies have made a big effort to encourage farm families to consider new enterprise but many have struggled with the diversification measure…. [Read full report]