European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)

What does it finance?

To support disaster risk managment, the current CAP Strategic Plan Regulation includes a number of interventions that may help farmers to perform preventive actions to prevent crises and build resilience towards climatic events.  

The CAP provides support for preventive actions via productive and non-productive investments. For example, for floods it could include nature-based solutions, natural water retention measures, management and restoration of wetlands, peatlands, aquatic ecosystems, etc. Also via eco-schemes (see fiche on EAGF) and agri-environment-climate measures (e.g. improved soil management to increase water retention capacity and reduce erosion, landscape features, agroforestry systems, etc) to make farmers more resilient to shocks, including climate-related ones and complemented by support for innovation (e.g. EIP-Agri innovation partnerships), knowledge transfer and advisory services to translate research results into practice.  

When considering support, a balance should always be ensured between focusing on crisis management tools and risk prevention tools. 

In the forestry sector, areas of support could cover prevention (and restoration) interventions for all possible damage to forests originating from natural disasters, adverse climatic events and catastrophic events, including fires. Examples of supported interventions for fire prevention include: 

• fuel management (e.g., forest thinning, grazing);
• creation and maintenance of firebreaks;
• creation and maintenance of agroforestry system (sylvopastoralism);
• creation and maintenance of forest roads;
• water access points;
• surveillance infrastructure/equipment (e.g. small vehicles and drones)
• afforestation, reforestation and restoration with species adapted to fire risk
• forest investments and environment measures which support resilience to forest damage (e.g. wetland restoration, conversion of forest stand to more resilient stands, natural based solutions). 

In general, most forestry supported interventions, even if not with the main focus of prevention, contribute also to prevention and mitigation of disasters. Creation of forests and their active management help in decreasing the risk and mitigating the consequences of wildfires, floods and other damaging events.   

Productive investments could support the protection of agricultural production against adverse weather conditions (e.g. hail nets, warning systems, etc.).  

Preventive investments could also be supported if these investments strengthen the resilience of agro-ecosystems and help to reduce the present and future impacts of climate change or have clear co-benefits (e.g. nature-based solutions).  

What kind of funding does it provide?

The EAFRD provides funding through grants and financial instruments.  

Which authorities are responsible for this instrument?

The EAFRD is implemented in shared management between the Member States and the Commission. National and regional managing authorities are responsible for the implementation in their respective territories. 

Which countries are eligible?

EU Member States.

Who is this support for?

This Fund provides financial support to legal and natural persons, including farmers, agricultural and forestry businesses, rural SMEs, local authorities (national, regional, local), non-profit organisations or cooperatives implemented through national CAP Strategic Plans.  

How to apply and other relevant information

Support for the different instruments contributing to Disaster Risk Management is applied for under the national CAP Strategic Plans (CSPs), which are programming tools drafted by the Member States and approved by the Commission. These plans cover all CAP-funded instruments that a Member State has strategically decided to implement through direct payments, sectoral interventions or support for rural development. It is up to Member States to plan risk management types of interventions in their CSPs to help prevent adverse consequences and cope with risks (e.g. flooding, etc.). Member States can amend their CSPs with short notice if needed to target better flood risk management, and expenditures for restoration of agricultural and forestry potential may be eligible for support from the time of the disaster occurrence. 

While the European Commission approves and monitors the CSPs, selection of projects and granting payments are handled by national authorities.