LEADER helping rural territories to help themselves LEADER approach today and after 2013 new challenges Petri Rinne ELARD Petri Rinne President of ELARD www.elard.eu Balneário Camporiú, Brazil 22nd November, 2011 Viimsi Spa, Estonia 15th September, 2011
Background: LEADER manager since 2001 Joutsenten Reitti LAG (Route of Swans) in SW-Finland one of the 55 LAGs in the country The LAG strategy aiming at creation of cultural river valley attracting the creative class new businesses, new jobs LEADER dissemination to the new territories (NMS, Southern Africa, Russia) and new policy fields (fisheries policy) LEADER Dissemination Guide Book in 2008 2
Background: ELARD President for 2011-12 International non-profit organization founded in 1999 by 5 European national informal LEADER networks: 1. French LEADER Network - LEADER France 2. Greek LEADER Network - Eλληνικό Δίκτυο LEADER 3. Irish LEADER Network - Comhar LEADER na heireann 4. Italian LEADER Network - AssoLEADER 5. Spanish LEADER Network REDR Today, ELARD is representing more than 600 rural territories in Europe through national and regional voluntary networks in: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain + Croatia In contact with Rural Networks in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Sweden
More accuracy and local approach to policy delivery needed to maintain rural territories viable through job and service creation and to fight against problems of ageing and out-migration territorial approach for EU s 2020 strategy (Common Strategic Framework) Rural typology: www.faro-eu.org
LEADER: a bottom-up development methodology LEADER = Liaisons Entre Acteurs du Développement Economique Rural Implemented through 1) area-based approach 5) multi-sectoral integration 2) bottom-up approach 6) networking 3) partnership structure 7) transnational cooperation 4) innovative approach 8) decentralised management and LAGs (Local Action Groups)
Brief history Stage! Duration! Funds! Budget (EUR)! LAGs! Leader I! 1991! 1993! Leader II! 1994-! 1999! EAGGF-Guidance, ESF, ERDF! EAGGF-Guidance, ESF, ERDF! 450 million! 217! 1.7 billion! 821! Leader+! 2000-! 2006! EAGGF-! Guidance! 2.1 billion!! 893 in EU-15! (+ 250 in the Leader+type measure 2004-2006) in 6 MS! Leader axis! 2007-! 2013! EAFRD! 5.5 billion!! 6% of the EAFRD funding! expected approx. 1.500 in EU-27! (selection in the MS still ongoing)!!
Local strategy prioritising the needs www.joutsentenreitti.fi 1) Business development and job creation 30% 2) Community development 25% 3) Tourism development 15% 4) Transnational cooperation 10% 5) Cultural development 5% 6) Youth welfare 5% 7) Environmental development 5% 8) Primary production 5% 7
Local decision-makers allocating the funds www.joutsentenreitti.fi Partnership funding 8 million for 2007-13 - 32% EU - 24% State (Ministry of Agriculture) - 18% Local municipalities - 30% Private Partnership decision-making on projects - 1/3 private sector - 1/3 public sector - 1/3 independent people 8
Local Artisan Network "Circle of 13 NEED FOR THE PROJECT: Artisan enterprises are small and work alone with their small resources - the project was initiated by the round table discussions organised by the LAG - marketing events, brochure and website (www.keha13.fi) - training on accounting, foreign trade etc. RESULTS: Increased sales, three new jobs, new products and new know-how
KIPA tractor trailors to the Baltic market NEED FOR THE PROJECT: Local metal industry seeking new market opportunities, the Baltic farmers adopting new technologies - the LAG brought the Latvian retailer and the Finnish producer together - marketing and negotiation trip to Latvia in November 2004 - Riga Farmer's Market in March 2005 RESULTS: New exporting contract and increase in sales helping to maintain and maybe increase the existing 30 jobs of the SME
Adaptability in a very new and different environment? Case Mozambique, Alto Ligonha - 170 000 inhabitants (38/km 2 ) - half less than 15 years old - life expectancy 35 years 2007: Lecturing & Province agreement 2008: Local strategy design 11 1) agricultural cooperatives 2) local trade structures 3) community forestry & cashew nuts 2009: 11 LEADER projects selected worth of 12 000 2010: Mid-term evaluation & 14 LEADER projects selected worth of 19 000
Connecting & mobilising people through the local media Dissemination (positive jealousy) and empowerment (public recognition) Helsinki University (Ruralia Institute) analysed 163 articles on Joutsenten reitti in 2001-2005, total of 117 meters of newspaper column
The LEADER impacts in Ireland, Finland and the Czech Rep. in 2007 (A LEADER Dissemination Guide Book) Slow down rural exodus Change national policies Increase public participation Capacity building in rural areas New jobs and enterprises Protect the environment IRE CZK FIN LEADER started - 1991 in Ireland - 1997 in Finland - 2004 in Czech Rep. Position of women and youth Innovative approach Internationalisation 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The lessons learnt 1. LEADER can adapt anywhere! 2. In Africa it s more about giving access, in Europe about mobilising people 3. Small funds and grants don t attract the corrupted people 4. Politicians need concrete development tools to be handed over to the people 5. Involve everyone in the strategy building process use the local media 6. Capacity building/ training sessions are crucial in the beginning 7. Teach by example and good practice rather than long lectures 8. Constant monitoring of the projects in a supportive way pays back 9. Develop easy-to-use indicators to measure outcomes already in the strategy 10. If something goes wrong, the LAG or Managing Authority must intervene 14
At the end REMEMBER! LEADER is not about money, it s about giving access and mobilising the rural people to shape their own future! It s not the people who aren t credit-worthy, it s the banks that aren t people-worthy. (M. Yunus)
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! See more in Google: A LEADER Dissemination Guide Book Contact: Petri Rinne petri.rinne@elard.eu www.elard.eu Tel. +358 40 555 3232