LEADER in Mozambique Exchange Workshop EC - World Bank 8.11.2013 Petri Rinne, ELARD
Background: LAG 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 LEADER Dissemination Guide Book in 2008 2
Background: ELARD president since 2011 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 1 000 Local Action Groups through national and regional voluntary networks in: Belgium, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, North Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
ELARD aims (see more at www.elard.eu) One of the most important aims of ELARD is to: "campaign to spread the philosophy, principles and reach of the LEADER method grounded in the seven specific features in order to achieve sustainable rural development across Europe". The association aims also to: "represent the interests of the so called wider rural economy (not only agriculture) as defined by the OECD s New Rural Policy Paradigm 4
Why LEADER? To involve everyone! 1. LEADER is able to mobilise, empower and involve the whole rural economy: from a traditional farm to a high-tech processing company. In rural context, where human and other resources are scarce, this is particularly important. LEADER is a non-political, transparent and open for everyone tool to re-shape the rural future.
Why LEADER? To be cost-effective! 2. LEADER is a cost-effective way of renewing, diversifying and developing the rural economy. In my own LAG territory in South-West part of Finland, with the population of 45 000, we have been supporting the generation of 200 new jobs during the current programming period, most of which are in the services sector where we have been lagging behind. The 150 business and community development projects launched are funded 60% by the EU, state and local municipalities public funds and 40% by the private stakeholders own funds. In addition there is an extensive amount of local enthusiasm and voluntary work powering LEADER free of charge.
Why LEADER? To change the mind-set! 3. LEADER is able to change the traditional topdown local development mindset to bottom-up. People on the ground start doing those things themselves that they were earlier blaming public civil servants and politicians not to do. LEADER also brings in the long-term strategic thinking through the Local Development Strategies that collect the individual projects under an umbrella and bigger territorial vision.
LEADER road to Africa OECD regional policy analysis on Finland in 2005 LEADER identified as one of the best practices has the method ever been applied outside of the EU? Inter-Ministry Finnish Rural Policy Committee launches a comparison study between Finland, Ireland and the Czech Republic on LEADER implementation to draw conclusions for geographical dissemination Finnish Minister of Development Affairs Ms Paula Lehtomäki s initiative to search Finnish/ European value-added to Finnish Government s development aid programmes cooperation with Mozambique (the biggest target country of Finnish development aid) and the Finnish Embassy in Maputo begins in 2006 8
Conditions for Dissemination 1. Sub-regional level commitment and capacity to design a Local Development Strategy (political / higher level institutional support also helps to achieve sustainabilty e.g. in Mozambique the Government supports the decentralisation process) 2. Creation of a Local Action Group (LAG) that is running the development process in a public-private-civil sector partnership principle (in Mozambique the local level Conselho consultivos were already running in 2006) 3. Funding for the Local Development Strategy implementation through project selection (including LAG staff recruitment, office running costs, capacity building of LAG members and applicants, project monitoring etc) 9
Delivery Zambezia Province (main partner) Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (donor) Joutsenten Reitti LAG (pr. owner) Gile District (funds channel) GAL Alto Ligonha (conselho consultivo) Micro-projects OECD & Embassy expertise Berlin Humboldt & Eduardo Mondlane Universities (evaluator)
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 1) agricultural cooperatives 2) local trade structures 3) community forestry 2009-13: 35 LEADER projects selected worth of 40 000 2011: Mid-term evaluation: >500 new jobs created, new businesses etc 2014: Dissemination to three new Districts in Zambesia, Sofala & Capo Delgado 11
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 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 the outcomes and impacts 10. If something goes wrong, the LAG or Managing Authority must intervene 12
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
At the end REMEMBER! LEADER is not yet another EU funding programme, it s a bottom-up development methodology. In order to use the method right and effectively all of its 7 specific features must be valid simultaneously!
At the end ALSO REMEMBER! LEADER is not about money, it s about giving access and mobilising the rural people to shape their own future!
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! See more in Google: A LEADER Dissemination Guide Book Contact: Mr Petri Rinne petri.rinne@elard.eu www.elard.eu Tel. +358 40 555 3232