Experience of Rural Development Policies

1

• Experience of Rural Development Policies
• delivered through a bottom-up approach
• Northern Ireland
• Michael McGuigan
• LEADER Deputy Programme Manager
• EC Rural Development Seminar
• BRUSSELS
• October 2007

2
Characteristics of a Bottom Up Approach

• Managing Authority maintaining an Arms Length
  approach
• Local partnerships developing their own local
  development strategy
• Local solutions being applied to local problems
  within the context of a national rural policy
  framework

3
Building the Approach

• Animation to increase awareness
• Capacity Building to increase skills
• to increase knowledge
• to increase involvement
• Empowerment local funding
• local decision making
• local accountability

4
Northern Ireland Context

• 1990-93 The Beginning - 6.5m
• 1994-99 Rapid Growth - 55m
• 2000-06 Maturing - 80m

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Beginnings

• 1991 - Launch of Northern Ireland Rural
  Development Programme - 6.5m
• Establishment of a Rural Development Council
• -Representative of Rural Stakeholder
• -Advice on Rural Issues
• -Assistance with bottom up development
• -Delivery of LEADER I Funding
• -Flagship Projects
• -Capacity Building

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Rapid Growth - 1994-99 - 55m Programme

• 33 Delivery Bodies
• 7 Funds
• 3 Themes

7
Maturity 2000-06 - 80m Programme

• Five Separate Strands
• Building Capacity of Rural Communities
• Local Regeneration Projects / Programmes
• Sectoral and Area Regeneration Projects
• Natural Resource Rural Tourism
• Micro Business Development

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Key Experiences of the Bottom Up Approach

• greater stakeholder participation
• high levels of customer satisfaction
• harnessing expertise at local level
• wider access to EU funds
• creates a synergy / complementarity at local
  development level

9
Key for Cross Border Bottom Up Approach

• Key Experiences
• Border rural areas have shared needs
• Issues can arise with the different bureaucracies
  in each Member State
• Different focuses led to difficulties in finding
  common projects
• Learning
• Agreed application form
• Joint panel
• Agreed messages

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Lessons Learned

• A crowded Market place
• Conflict between local groups and state
  authorities
• Risk that bottom up delivery can become
  funding led rather than delivery led
• Volunteer fatigue
• Time dilutes delivery

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Conclusions

• 17 years on the bottom up approach has-
• Matured
• Energised and empowered communities
• Improved quality of life and
• Become a good Rural Development economic
  development tool

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The Way Forward 2007-2013

• LEADER bottom up approach for all of Axis 3 -
  100m
• Rationalisation of number of Local Action Groups
• Groups delivering a wider range measures must
  deliver all Axis 3 measures

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For further information-

• www.dardni.gov.uk