Rural development measures

The Swedish rural development programme comprises various forms of support. They are intended to encourage efforts to increase competitiveness, help the environment, and improve quality of life in rural areas. In this way the measures help us to achieve the goals of the rural development programme.

You can get support for improving the environment

If you run a farm and want to sell environmental services you can get support for this. For example, you can get support for reducing nitrogen leaching. You can also get environmental support for keeping endangered livestock breeds.

You can get support for investing in the environment or for increasing the environmental benefit measures that you get environmental support for. One example is establishment and restauration of wetlands. You can also get support for extra efforts in maintaining pastures or mown meadows. The County Administrative Boards and the Sami Parliament themselves set their priorities and decide which applications to accept. Their priorities are based on established strategies.

You can be compensated for poor farming conditions

Are you running a traditional farm in an area that is unsuited for agricultural production? If so, you can get support for less favoured areas in order to compensate for the drawback. At the same time you help maintain the vitality of rural areas and the open agricultural landscape.

Enterprise support helps you develop your business

Do you want to start a new company in a rural area, or expand into new activities? Do you need to make an investment or purchase a service in order to develop your company? Do you want to acquire new skills for yourself or your employees? If so, you can apply for enterprise support.  

One goal of the enterprise support is to make agriculture, horticulture, forestry and reindeer husbandry more competitive. Another goal is to bring new activities into rural companies, and to make the countryside a more attractive place to live.

Enterprise support is always linked to an existing or new company. Examples include setting-up aid and investment support.

Project support can bring your ideas to life

Do you belong to a group who wants to work together to improve your village? Perhaps you want to go into tourism or develop cooperation within the village? If so, you can apply for project support. This support may make it easier for you to develop your idea in project form.

Enterprises and groups of for instance enterprises, associations and non-profit organisations, are some examples of who can apply for project support. In order for you to get support, the result of the project must benefit several parties. The result also needs to contribute to reaching the goals of the rural development programme.

Support for sustainable forestry

Some forms of support within the rural development programme are intended for forest owners. Those measures are handled by the Swedish Forest Agency External link..

More information about the support

Contact the County Administrative Board in your county to get more information about the support. You can also read the information on our website External link.. Only available in Swedish.