Promotion of sustainable and environmentally, climate- and nature-friendly management of agriculturally used land (Guideline AUKM)

With the AUKM Guideline, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, in cooperation with Bremen and Hamburg, supports agricultural enterprises in the sustainable, environmentally, climate- and nature-conservation-compliant management of arable and grassland areas. As a grant from EAFRD funds, funding amounts are available for measures such as extensification, introduction of organic farming methods, peatland rewetting, creation of field bird islands, structurally rich flowering and protective strips, as well as hedge plantations. Participating enterprises of any legal form in the three northern federal states can receive financial grants via the electronic application procedure ANDI. The objective, in addition to landscape preservation and water protection, is primarily to contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strategy, climate and peatland conservation, as well as to strengthen biodiversity in fields and meadows.

Participating enterprises commit to self-management of their areas and compliance with EU conditionality as well as national requirements for at least 5 years (or 7 years in the case of permanent grassland conversion and hedges). For the application, among other documents, the ANDI application form, evidence of area-specific seed mixtures, peatland rewetting protocols, and funding-specific records must be submitted. Eligibility for funding is assessed based on regional nature conservation contexts, their environmental and conservation impact, as well as the innovative content of the measure. Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit from fixed, area-based flat rates per hectare and can thus plan and implement their contribution to climate and biodiversity protection in the long term.