Business Development Groups Scheme reopens for applications
Date published:
CAFRE has announced the third tranche of the Business Development Groups Scheme will open for applications on Friday 1 December at 2.00pm.
Business Development Groups brings together small groups of farmers to consider how knowledge, cooperation and investment can improve their farm businesses performance.
CAFRE Director, Martin McKendry, has urged all eligible farmers to apply: “CAFRE launched the Business Development Groups Scheme in November 2015 and to date, it has been a tremendous success. Feedback from farmers participating in the scheme has been extremely positive. Farmers particularly enjoy learning from each other at training events held on their own farms, using the specialist knowledge of their specialist facilitator to help them improve the efficiency of their businesses. The reopening of the scheme will allow those farmers, who have previously missed the opportunity to join a local BDG, to now submit an application.
I would encourage farmers to apply to the scheme as local development groups are designed to assist farmers come together with other farmers, to learn about and enhance their knowledge of business management, new technologies and innovative ways of working.”
Farmers who participate in the BDG scheme will be required to attend eight training events each year, be willing to undertake physical and financial benchmarking, share their farm performance information with other group members and be willing to host a visit for the group, during which members will discuss technical performance and progress towards improving their business. As farmers work towards meeting their business objectives, they will have the opportunity to accredit their work and gain a Level 3 qualification.
To make an application to the Business Development Groups scheme and for further information:
- Business Development Groups - CAFRE website
- phone: call 028 9442 6790
- e-mail: kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk
This call for applications will close on Thursday 21 December at 4.00pm.
Knowledge Transfer through Business Development Groups (BDG) is a scheme partly funded by the EU through the Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020.
Notes to editors:
- Photo: The BDG scheme will reopen at 2.00pm on Friday 1 December 2017.
- College of Agriculture Food & Rural enterprise (CAFRE) is responsible for the delivery of the Knowledge Transfer, Innovation and Cooperation – Business Development Groups.
- For more information on the Business Development Group Scheme, please e-mail kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk or call Knowledge Transfer Administration on 028 9442 6790.
- For media enquiries please contact DAERA Press Office 028 9052 4619 or email: DAERA Press office .Out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
- The Business Development Group Scheme is part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).