The development phase of the Welsh government's new Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS) is now open for farmers to apply to.
The INRS aims to enable farmers and land managers to work together to improve Wales' natural resources while delivering benefits to their businesses.
It provides funding for implementing nature-based solutions at the appropriate scale, targeting action and interventions to enhance and sustainably manage natural resources.
Although the scheme is separate from the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), the government said it will be used to inform the collaborative element of the scheme during this interim period.
The government added that the INRS forms part of a preparatory phase of activities which may lead to collaborative projects ready to participate in the Collaboration Layer of the SFS when it is introduced.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies said: “The scheme has been developed to focus on collaborative action - enabling farmers to do something they do very well – which is working together to deliver innovative solutions
"These projects will improve our natural resources in a way which delivers benefits to farm and rural businesses, rural communities, and wider societal benefits.
“We are committed to supporting farmers to produce food in a sustainable way, whilst taking action to respond to the climate emergency and to help reverse the decline in biodiversity.”
According to Welsh government, this could include projects which enhance carbon-rich soils, as well as creating woodland and implementing natural flood risk management.
It could also include delivering actions to enhance priority and semi natural habitats, and improving the connectivity, scale, adaptability, or diversity of semi natural habitats.
Projects could also strengthen the resilience of Wales’ network of protected sites by working at a landscape scale to improve connectivity and condition.
A webinar has been arranged by the Welsh government on 11 September to give farmers the chance to learn more about the scheme, which closes for applications on 27 September.
