Press Releases

The Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund (SADF) is open for applications from today (December 19).

A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said, "Being one of the major supportive measures underpinning the New Agriculture Policy announced in the 2016 Policy Address, the SADF provides financial support for the modernisation and sustainable development of local agriculture."

With a view to helping the agricultural community rise to new challenges, the SADF aims at supporting application-oriented projects that would enable the agricultural industry to improve their productivity and output, or switch to a sustainable or high value-added mode of operation, so as to enhance the overall competitiveness of the agricultural industry.

Projects to be considered include the research and development of applied technology for agricultural production, transfer of agricultural knowledge, rehabilitation of fallow agricultural land, manpower training and marketing in agriculture, and more.

The SADF will consider both non-profit-making and commercial projects. Applicants will be required to draw up detailed business plans and budgets which will be subject to the scrutiny of the SADF Advisory Committee. Projects involving commercial elements will be funded on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis. The Government's contribution will be limited to no more than 50 per cent of total project costs.

Eligible applicants should be legal entities that can demonstrate a close connection with the local agricultural industry, including locally registered agricultural co-operatives, non-profit-making agricultural organisations, non-governmental organisations or social enterprises, and academic and research institutions in Hong Kong.

At its first meeting held last Friday (December 16), the Advisory Committee endorsed the operation and application guidelines for the SADF. It will advise on the overall strategy for funding projects and the relative priorities of applications for funding support under SADF. In vetting applications, it will give due consideration to the project needs, feasibility and expected outcomes. The projects should contribute in a direct and practical way towards the sustainable development of the local agricultural industry. The benefits they bring about must accrue to the local agricultural community as a whole.

Moreover, to help farmers improve farming efficiency and productivity, the Farm Improvement Scheme (FIS) under the SADF provides direct grants to eligible farmers for acquisition of farming equipment and materials. The grant will cover up to a maximum of 80 per cent of the cost and is capped at $30,000 for each farmer.

Applications are accepted throughout the year. For general applications, completed application forms with information demonstrating the applicants' connection with the local agricultural industry should be submitted to the AFCD's office at 5/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon. The Advisory Committee will meet regularly to vet general applications. Applications under the FIS must be submitted by the applicant in person to Yuen Long Agricultural Extension Office.

Application guidelines and forms for general applications and the FIS can be downloaded from the AFCD website (www.afcd.gov.hk), while hard copies are available from the AFCD's office and Yuen Long Agricultural Extension Office.

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