The objectives of the Rural Development Component are to improve market efficiency and implementation of Community standards, to launch preparatory actions for implementation of agri-environmental measures and local strategies for rural development and to promote development of rural economies. The Government of the Republic of Macedonia has initially defined the following sectors as priorities to be supported by IPA-RD:

- meat and milk,
- fruit and vegetables and
- grape and wine

The Component addressees the following priority axes:

Priority Axis 1 – Promotion of competitiveness through restructuring and introducing EU standards: Farm Investments and Investments in Processing and Marketing
Priority Axis 2 – Diversification of economic activities in rural environments: Rural diversification

Farm investment measure is intended for:

• Farm modernisation;
• Application of the EU standards (hygiene environment protection, animal welfare)

Beneficiaries:
Individual farms, co-operatives farms, legal entities performing agricultural activity, which meet minimum national standards relating to the activity they apply for and which present increased economic sustainability at the investment closure.

The support refers to investments in the area of vine production and orchard, vegetable production and animal breeding for meat and milk production and processing.

Investment in Processing and Marketing measure is intended for:

• Elevating the level of competitiveness in and of the sector
• Application of the EU standards
• Focus on SMEs

Beneficiaries:

Agricultural cooperatives and legal entities engaged in agricultural activity (SMEs), which meet minimum national standards relating to the activity they apply for and which present increased economic sustainability at the investment closure.
The support refers to investments in the area of wine production (only in the part of finalisation), fruit and vegetable processing, production of milk and milk products and slaughterhouses;

The diversification measure of economic activities in the rural environments is open for individual farms, micro enterprises, which meet minimum national standards relating to the activity they apply for and which present increased economic sustainability at the investment closure. The support refers to investments in the area of rural tourism, small processing capacities on a farm for traditional products, artisanship and services related to agriculture and rural population.

Key documents

IPARD Operative Plan

IPARD Programme (official version)