[Funding for Productive Projects]

Funding for Agricultural Support Services

Who is eligible for Agricultural Support Services Funding?

To benefit from Agricultural Support Services funding, an applicant must be an agricultural producer (farmer or processor), an exporter, or an individual who is actively engaged in his/her business or trade, and is able to demonstrate his/her need for the services requested. Although individuals are eligible, emphasis is being placed on providing grants for support services for groups of producers or exporters.

What are the services to be financed with this fund?

The services financed, fall under five categories – Extension, Marketing, Land Regularization, Research and Information.

Extension:

• On-farm demonstrations and training
• Analytical services, e.g. soils, entomology and pathology analyses
• Technical exchanges, including producer-visits to other local and overseas facilities
• Environmental management, involving environmental assessments, management systems, and chemical and waste management training
• Other training

Marketing:

• Buyer visits
• Market visits
• Packaging and labelling design
• Marketing plan development
• Business plan development

Land Regularization:

• Surveys
• Title searches

Research:

• Adaptive research, including purchasing new rootstock and establishing pilot plots
• Product development (e.g. prototype development)

Information:

• Production and market studies

Note: The preceding list of eligible services is non-exhaustive and other requests will be considered on a case- by-case basis.

What is the maximum Grant amount per beneficiary?

The maximum grant amount per service intervention is US$30,000 up to a cumulative total of US$30,000 per individual beneficiary.

How can I request assistance under Agricultural Support Services?

An agricultural producer or exporter can request assistance through the Project’s Agricultural Development Officers (ADO). The ADO’s are responsible for working proactively with producers and exporters to identify and articulate support services needs. They are strategically placed at various locations island-wide.

Procedure For Accessing Assistance Through The ADO’s:

For accessing support services through the ADO’s, the following procedure must be adhered to:

1. The producer or exporter in need of support services would contact the ADO working in his or her area and make a request. Alternatively, the ADO could work jointly with the producer or exporter to identify and articulate the service need;
2. Upon receiving a request from the producer or exporter, the ADO would consult with that producer or exporter to develop the terms of reference for the support services required;
3. The ADO would then identify an appropriate support service provider and broker an arrangement between the support services provider and the producer or exporter;
4. The producer or exporter and the ADO in the area would now supervise the delivery of the support services. The ADO then follows up on the venture undertaken and informs the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) on its progress and recommends payment to the provider on satisfactory completion of the job.

Cost-Sharing
Beneficiaries are required to provide a minimum of 10% of the grant amount under ASSPPFL’s cost-sharing requirement. Payment can be made in cash or in kind (e.g. labor, transportation, accommodation).

[Funding for Productive Projects]