Consultancy

What is the SME Portfolio?

The KMO-Portefeuille is a subsidy measure of the Flemish Government that allows you, as an entrepreneur, to obtain advice or follow training with financial support. This subsidy measure aims to improve the operation and quality of your business.

The Trial and Training Centre for Agriculture is a registered service provider under the SME Portfolio for both advice and training. This means that as a company or practitioner with an establishment in Flanders, you can obtain a subsidy of 20% to 30% on the advice and training provided by us through this measure.

The grant application via the SME Portfolio must be submitted at the latest 14 days after the start date of the activity (advice or training). The grant application can already be applied for as soon as an agreement is signed, even if the assignment has not yet started.  

Who can apply for the SME Portfolio?

• The grant can be applied for by SMEs, liberal professions, self-employed and self-employed in secondary occupation.
• Your company must have an acceptable legal form with an establishment in Flanders.
• Your company operates in the private sector and the participation of an administrative authority is less than 25%.
• Your company has an ‘acceptable principal activity’.

The Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) keeps track of all business activities about your company. These also all have a number (NACEBEL code). Is the code of your main activity on the list of acceptable main activities? Then you are eligible for the subsidy.   

What advice/training is eligible?

The following services are eligible:

• Energy efficiency
  • Heat grid experiences
  • Solar panels/batteries for farms
• Water and air purification
  • Tips on creating a reed bed or wetland
  • Analyses and measurements to determine sizing of a reed bed or wetland
  • Farm recommendations to reduce yard and silo runoff on a farm
  • Preparation of schedules for crop protection in grass and maize
  • Prevention and control of tuber cyperus
  • Inventory of tuber cyperus
  • Optimum fertilisation of forage crops (grass, maize, fodder beet, cereals)
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • Perform climate scan for an arable, pig or cattle farm
  • Advising on climate mitigation measures for an arable, pig or cattle farm
  • Advising on nitrogen emission reduction measures in pigs
  • Strategies for non-killing tillage
  • Carbon-rich soil improvers to increase organic carbon content
• Efficient use of materials
  • Maximising feed efficiency in fattening pigs
  • Impact of feed boosters on -uptake and milk production
  • Analysis of drinking water consumption on pig farms
  • Strengthening soil conditions and soil life
• Research and development
  • Innovation, research and development in dairy and pig farming as well as fodder production
  • Innovation, research and development in residual waste treatment
  • Innovation, research and development to optimise soil quality

For more explanations regarding the various advice/training programmes, download the brochure ‘SME portfolio offer’ or click on the relevant activity.

Who are our lecturers and advisers?

Consultancy and training within the Agricultural Research and Training Centre are offered by:

• Sander Palmans
• Marijke Gijbels
• Shana Clercx
• Lore Luys
• Stef Keppens

Our consultants/teachers have sufficient expertise in their field, through sufficient training opportunities and/or project-based research work, to keep abreast of the latest changes.

Sander Palmans (Coordinator):

• Water quality, specifically towards nitrogen
• Precision farming livestock
• Emission controls pigs

Marijke Gijbels (Deputy coordinator):

• Soil quality, physical, chemical and biological

Shana Clercx (crop production researcher):

• Crop protection
• Water quality and purification, specifically towards phyto

Lore Luys (crop production researcher):

• Water quality, specifically towards nitrogen
• Fertilisation
• Landscaping

Stef Keppens (researcher crop production + animal husbandry):

• Water conservation
• Irrigation

How much are the subsidies?

The amount of the grant is determined by the size of your company. A small company investing in advice or training can obtain 30% support through the SME Portfolio with a maximum of €7,500 per year. A medium-sized enterprise investing in advice or training can obtain 20% support through the SME Portfolio with a maximum of €7,500 per year as well.  

Click here to check the terms and conditions of an SME.

How can I apply for a grant?

The application for the SME Portfolio must be made online via the VLAIO website. For the first grant application, however, you must first register the enterprise through the VLAIO website. Each grant application is made online after you have entered into a consultancy agreement with your service provider or registered a person working within your enterprise for a training course. The following steps must be completed:

• You sign a counselling agreement or enrol in a training course at the Trial and Training Centre for Agriculture.
• You apply for the grant through the VLAIO website.

• You pay your own contribution into the SME Portfolio account of Pluxee (formerly Sodexo) (you will receive the account number by e-mail)
• The Innovation & Enterprise Agency also deposits the grant into the SME Portfolio account.
• We provide our services (advice or training).
• You receive our invoice and pay online via the SME Portfolio
• You can review our services provided

For a detailed roadmap on how to apply for a grant, click here!