Agri-Food Investment Initiative

The Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII) is a strategic funding program designed to significantly enhance the economic performance and competitiveness of Northern Ireland's vital Agri-food sector. Managed by Invest Northern Ireland, the initiative provides financial assistance for transformative capital investments that drive growth, improve efficiency, and foster innovation. The grant supports a wide range of capital expenditures, including the purchase of new machinery and equipment, the acquisition or development of computer software, and the buying of intangible assets such as patents, licenses, copyrights, and trademarks. This comprehensive support is aimed at improving productivity and capacity building, ultimately enabling new product development and securing the sector's future. The AFII is a competitive program with varying grant intensities based on the size of the applicant business. For small businesses, the maximum aid intensity is 35% of the eligible investment costs, with a minimum project size of £300,000. Medium businesses can receive a maximum of 25% aid intensity for projects with a minimum size of £500,000. Large businesses are eligible for a maximum of 20% aid intensity, provided their project is at least £1,000,000. A crucial aspect of this program is that flat grant rates do not apply; instead, the grant amount is negotiable and limited to the minimum support required for the project's successful implementation. The total eligible costs for a single investment project are capped at €25 million, and the maximum assistance available under the scheme is approximately £5 million. The fund is open to both existing and new clients of Invest NI who operate within specific food and drink processing sectors that handle Annex I products. These sectors include meat, dairy, bakery, beverages, potatoes, cereals, and more. Due to State Aid restrictions, some sectors have specific eligibility requirements related to business size. The initiative is a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s strategy to support its agri-food businesses and ensure they remain competitive on a global scale.