Rural Development Stakeholders Gather to Discuss EU LEADER Approach

On 24 November 2016, a conference - EU LEADER / Local Action Groups approach and its application to Georgia, was held in Tbilisi with the support of the EU-funded European Neighbourhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD).

The conference was organized jointly by ENPARD partner organizations, People in Need, Mercy Corps and CARE, currently implementing three EU-funded pilot rural development projects in Georgia, and with the support from the EU Delegation to Georgia and the UNDP.

The event in Tbilisi enjoyed the participation of about 90 stakeholders, including ENPARD's implementing partners, representatives of central, regional and local government authorities, non-governmental organizations which support various aspects of rural development, European experts and members of the three existing Georgian Local Action Groups in Kazbegi, Borjomi and Lagodekhi.

Nodar Kereselidze, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kaido Sirel, Head of Operations at the EU Delegation to Georgia, and Alvaro Ortega Aparicio, Attaché, Program Manager for Environment and Rural Development, EU Delegation to Georgia, opened the event.

The conference participants discussed the European LEADER model and the ways of transferring European experience of rural development to Georgia.

LEADER is an approach developed in 1991 which engages the energy and resources of people as development actors rather than beneficiaries, empowering them to contribute to the future development of their rural areas by forming area based Local Action Group (LAG) partnerships between the public, private and civil sectors.

The ENPARD partner organizations summarized the results of the three pilot rural development projects currently being implementing following the European LEADER approach in Kazbegi, Borjomi and Lagodekhi municipalities. The participants discussed the possibilities in which LAGs can work alongside local, regional and national authorities to design and apply development strategies which are relevant to the needs of rural communities. The conference set the foundation for further cooperation between the three pilot projects and the five new LEADER projects upcoming under the second stage of ENPARD.

"This was an extremely important and informative meeting," Karlo Jamburia, Gamgebeli of Lagodekhi said. "I have had an opportunity to hear the results and experiences of the LEADER approach in different European countries. I have also learnt the views of local donor organizations, the non-governmental sector and the Ministries about ENPARD's rural development component. The discussion also referred to the ways to strengthening the program in future, to which the Lagodekhi municipality will certainly show very strong support."

Alvaro Ortega Aparicio, Attaché, Program Manager for the Environment and Rural Development, EU Delegation to Georgia, stated, "I am glad that the organizations selected to implement three of the five new LAGs envisaged for next year (GIPA in Akhalkalaki, RDFG in Tetritskaro and Heks-Eper in Dedoplitskaro) under ENPARD II have been able to join this conference, as this is a great opportunity for them to learn about LEADER and the challenges faced in Georgia so far. Two more organizations will be selected next year to implement LEADER projects in Adjara (Khulo and Keda). I am grateful to the many government representatives from all levels who have taken the time to participate and contribute their ideas to this process and I am sure that this was an important step towards the dialogue on developing the Action Plan for implementation of Georgia's rural development strategy which will take place in 2017."

The Conference was organized in the framework of the European Union's ENPARD program. Implemented since 2013, the main goal of the ENPARD program is to reduce rural poverty in Georgia through support to rural development and agriculture. Program assistance is provided to the government and NGOs working directly with communities on the ground.

To find out more about ENPARD, please visit: www.enpard.ge and www.pin.ge