The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry, through the Regional Directorate for Rural Development, opens during the month of January several applications periods for 16 sub-measures under the Rural Development Program of the Azores - PRORURAL +. They are intend to support the areas of agriculture and forestry.
 
Approximately 6 million Euros of public expenditure are available for this purpose.
 
Applications must be submitted through the appropriate form, available on PRORURAL + Portal, at http://proruralmais.azores.gov.pt.
 
In this context, the applications for sub-measure 10.2, support to the conservation, sustainable use and development of genetic resources in agriculture, start today. The deadline ends on March 9.
 
From January 15, the Government will publish opening notices for the sub-measures on vocational training and skills acquisition (1.1), demonstration activities and information actions (1.2), provision of agricultural and forestry counselling services (2.1), establishment of advisory and agricultural management services and forestry advisory services (2.2), training of counsellors (2.3) and preventive actions (5.1). The application period runs until February 28.
 
Starting next week, the application period will open for the sub-measures on the creation and functioning of operational groups for agricultural productivity and sustainability (16.1), support to pilot projects and the development of new products, practices, processes and technologies (16.2) and cooperation between small operators with common processes and sharing of facilities and resources (16.3).
 
Furthermore, the Government also plans to open this month the applications for the sub-measures on cooperation in the development and promotion of short supply chains and local markets (16.4) and interventions aimed at the mitigation and adaptation to climate change and ongoing environmental projects and practices (16.5). The deadline ends on March 19.
 
Concerning investments in forest areas, the application period start on January 21 for sub-measures on afforestation of forest areas (8.1), establishment and maintenance of agro-forestry systems (8.2), investments to improve the resilience and environmental value of forest ecosystems (8.5) and investment in new technologies and commercialisation of forest products (8.6). The submission of applications ends on March 29.