Sustainable Agriculture Investment Fund loan (IDL)

Do you have a farm or horticultural business? And do you want to reduce your nitrogen load and make your business more sustainable? Then you can apply for a loan from the Sustainable Agriculture Investment Fund (Investeringsfonds Duurzame Landbouw, IDL). You can borrow up to 60% of the eligible costs and the maximum amount is €500,000 . Agricultural entrepreneurs younger than 40 years can borrow up to 70% of the eligible costs.

Conditions for the IDL loan

To be eligible for an IDL loan your plan must contribute to the sustainability transition, your plan must be viable, and you must have secured co-funding. To apply for the IDL loan:

• You must be an entrepreneur in the primary agricultural sector or be part of a partnership of agricultural entrepreneurs. Primary agricultural sector means that you are the producer of the untreated products.
• You have a business plan or draft including an investment overview, financing plan, and an operating and liquidity budget.
• You already have secured part of the funding for your plans or you have a prospect of funding.
• Your plan contributes significantly to the reduction of your nitrogen load and upon application you clearly demonstrate how you will achieve this.
• Your plan contributes to at least 4 of the following sustainability goals, without doing worse on any of those goals:

  • Fewer crop protection products and biocides
  • Less greenhouse gases
  • Less nitrate leaching
  • Increased biodiversity
  • Better soil
  • Circular use of animal feed, such as the use of by-products from food production
  • Improved animal health and welfare

Use the IDL checklist (in Dutch) to see if you meet the conditions. Or consult the frequently asked questions about IDL (In Dutch).

How to apply

To apply for an IDL Loan you complete the application form from the National Green Fund (in Dutch).The evaluation committee Sustainable Agriculture Investment Fund processes the applications for the IDL loan.

You can find the application deadlines with the National Green Fund (in Dutch).