From September 5, 2024, the ISMEA Più Impresa 2024 call has been open, dedicated to young people and women who wish to invest in the agricultural sector. This call offers subsidized funding and non-repayable contributions to support the expansion, modernization and
competitiveness of agricultural enterprises.
Table of Contents:
What does the ISMEA Più Impresa 2024 call for proposals include
The 2024 More Business call, promoted by the Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market (ISMEA), provides two types of concessions for investments of up to 1.5 million euros (VAT excluded):
- Zero-interest subsidised mortgage: covers up to 60% of eligible expenses, with a maximum term of 15 years.
- Non-repayable contribution: covers up to 35% of eligible expenses.
With a budget of 60 million euros, the measure aims to promote generational change in agriculture and to improve the conditions of existing companies managed by young people or women.
Deadlines and application procedure
Applications to access funding must be submitted from 12:00 on September 5, 2024 until 18:00 on September 30, 2024. The application process is divided into two phases
:
- Pre-validation: must be carried out by September 30, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.
- Validation: can be carried out from September 5, 2024 until September 30, 2024 at 18:00 p.m.
Applications can be submitted through the ISMEA portal on weekdays, from 9:00 to 18:00. Requests will be evaluated based on the chronological order of submission.
How to submit the application
To access the call, it is necessary to register on the ISMEA portal. Once you have registered or logged in with your credentials, you must follow these steps
:
- Complete and pre-validate the application during the pre-validation period.
- Validate your application during the submission period.
It is important to note that an application that is not pre-validated cannot be subsequently validated and submitted. Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are submitted
.
Who are the benefits intended for
The benefits of the ISMEA Più Impresa 2024 call are intended for micro, small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises that meet the following requirements:
- Business management by young people or women: companies must be formed by people between 18 and 41 years old or by women.
- Takeover and expansion: for takeover operations, the transferor company must have been active for at least two years and the beneficiary company constituted for no more than six months. For the expansion, the company must have been active for at least two years
.
In addition, businesses must carry out exclusively agricultural activities, with the prevalence of agricultural activities over those related, and must be managed by young people or women enrolled in agricultural security management as professional agricultural entrepreneurs or direct growers.
Purposes of eligible projects
The projects that can be eligible for concessions must have a total cost not exceeding 1.5 million euros (excluding VAT) and must achieve at least one of the following objectives:
- Improve farm performance and sustainability.
- Improve environmental, hygiene or animal welfare conditions.
- Build or improve infrastructure for agriculture, including energy efficiency.
- Contribute to the mitigation of climate change and the promotion of sustainable energy.
- Promote sustainable management of natural resources and reduce dependence on chemicals.
- Safeguard biodiversity and improve ecosystem services.
The projects are evaluated on the basis of technical criteria specified in the announcement and, if approved, they allow companies to access the subsidized mortgage or non-repayable contribution.
Amount of planned aid
The benefits vary depending on the type of help requested:
- Subsidized mortgage: zero interest for an amount of up to 60% of eligible expenses, with a maximum term of 15 years.
- Non-repayable contribution: coverage of up to 35% of eligible expenses.
The companies receiving the concessional loan must provide guarantees for 100% of the value of the loan, through a mortgage or bank guarantee or insurance.
Demand Support
For those who need assistance filling out the application, ISMEA’s Public Relations Office (URP) is available to provide support. You can contact the URP by phone or email for information and assistance
.
Conclusions
The ISMEA Più Impresa 2024 call represents a significant opportunity for young people and women who want to invest in the agricultural sector. With financial concessions designed to improve the competitiveness of agricultural businesses, this call facilitates generational change and the growth of companies in the sector
.
