More than £100m will be invested in Wales' rural economy in a bid to improve food and farming resilience post-Covid, the Welsh government has announced.
The three-year fund will cover hundreds of projects which aim to enhance the country's rural economy following the pandemic.
Included in the investment is a project which will help farmers make improvements to on-farm biodiversity, such as woodland creation and restoration.
Another aims to help farming businesses ensure their future sustainability with the introduction of new technology and equipment.
Welsh government's rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths said the investment would provide vital support to the country's rural economy and natural environment over the next three years.
“The impact on our rural communities of the intense storm events earlier this year and then the Covid-19 pandemic has been immense.
"Welsh government has provided immediate support through the Economic Resilience Fund, unique to Wales, as well as a series of targeted schemes.
"The announcement today sets out some of the funding we will make available for rural development not just in the immediate future, but for the next three years."
Investments will also be made across a variety of schemes linked to the sustainable management of Wales’ natural resources, responding to the climate emergency and reversing the decline in biodiversity.
The schemes will be funded through a combination of the EU Rural Development Programme 2014-20 (RDP), and from the Welsh government’s own funds.
