C. Andrea Pelagallo

1
The European Initiative LEADER in Italy

• C. Andrea Pelagallo
• Deputy Coordinator of the Italian Network Unit
  Leader

2
The origin of LEADER

• 1988, the E.C. publishes The future of the Rural
  World
• Rural territories at a turning point results of
  the previous policies and new challenges to be
  fronted (pollution and intensive agriculture,
  growth of cities and reduction of rural
  population)
• Peculiarity of each rural territory in Europe
  each areas has its potentialities and problems
• Importance of rural areas (as opposite of
  urban) represent the 80 of the European land
  and over the 50 of the European population
• New interest in rural development, as an
  extension of the concept of agricultural
  development

3
The European Commission sets up its strategy

• From interventions by sector, to multi-year
  Programmes organized by territory from the
  centralized management to the decentralized
  management
• 1989-1993 / 1994-1999 / 2000-2006 CHANGES
• Different territorial programmes according to the
  differences among the territories (Regional
  Programmes)
• Promotion of the socio-economic development of
  rural areas, valorisation of the rural heritage,
  advert of local initiatives

4
Main features and objectivesof LEADER

• Creation of a European Network, to connetc the
  different actors of rural development
• To stimulate the exchange of information within
  the same territory and between different areas
• Dissemination of results in all territories

• Implementation of pilot and demonstrative
  initiatives, concerning rural development in
  selected areas
• Creation of Local Action Groups as main actors of
  the rural development
• Promotion of initiatives in different sectors
  agriculture, handicraft, rural tourism

5
Advanced features

• METHODOLOGY
• Management at local level (decentralisation)
• New concept of rural integrated development (not
  only agricultural)
• Partnership PublicPrivate
• Creation of a Network to exchange information and
  disseminate the results

• PROCEDURES
• AND FINANCING
• Make LAGs responsible for their plans
• Enhance national and regional coordination
• Payment in advance up to the 40 of the total

6
Programming and implementationof Leader in the
territory
LOCAL ACTION GROUP (LAG)
SWOT analysis to define potentialities and limits
within the territory
Analysis of the Demand and of the Needs within
the area
Target setting
Definition of the strategy for rural integrated
development
Natural and cultural heritage
Professional training and HR
Local quality productions
Development of SMEs
Rural turism
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION OF THE AREA
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3 Successful editionsof the E.I. Leader in Italy
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Progress of the Programme in Italy
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Leader in Italy
Number of LAGs 132 Area about 160.000 km2
(over 50 of Italy) 13 compared to
Leader II Population over 10 millions
(19 of the entire Italian
population) Total Cost 746,08M Total Public
share 64,6 Total EU share 38,1
10
Some figures of Leader in Italy

• Leader is implemented by four axis
• 1. Integrated rural development strategies
  (Local development plans) (84,8 of total
  resources)
• 2. Support for cooperation (11,6 of total
  resources)
• 3. Networking (1,5 of total resources)
• 4. Managing and technical assistance (2,1 of
  total resources).
• Leader in Italy is implemented by 22
  Programmes 21 Regional Programmes (19 Regions
  2 Independent Provinces) plus 1 Network
• Each Region is committed to the definition of
  each Programme. They are Managing Authorities
  for Axis 1, 2 and 4. MIPAF is the Managing
  Authority for Axis 3.

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Trans-national Cooperation ProjectsMain themes
and areas
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Trans-national Cooperation ProjectsPartnership

• 44 Italian LAGs are involved in Transnational
  Cooperation projects

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Successful aspects of LEADER in Italy

• Programming and management of the interventions
  at a local level, directly involving local actors
  (Learning By Doing)
• Valorisation and commercial exploitation of the
  rural heritage environment, traditional
  handicraft, historical and cultural resources
• Promotion of the local rural identity and
  creation
• of Local Development Agencies
• Connections among LAGs placed in different
  territories and dissemination of good practices
• Collaboration between different economic sectors
  and between public and private actors

14
Problematic issues of LEADER in Italy

• SELECTION OF LAGs
• Difficult arrangement and timetable for the
  selection of LAGs, especially under Leader II and
  Leader (because the selection was prerogative
  of each Region)

• EUROPEAN PROCEDURES
• Complex European procedures. Concerning Leader I
  and Leader II, financing were organized under 3
  different Structural Funds

COOPERATION Different procedures according to the
different Member States. In Italy, each Region
has its own procedures and timetable
MONITORING Difficult organization of the
monitoring system
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Problems at the local level

• SELECTION AND FUNCTIONING OF LAGs
• Doubts concerning administrative and procedural
  changes
• Problems regarding LAGs gathering Local
  Administrative Bodies and private actors

UNPROOFED PROCEDURES Doubts concerning private
associations managing public funding Lack of
previous experiences from both sides (public and
private)
FINANCIAL RESOURCES Bank payments in advance,
Bank Guarantee, Private financing
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Problems at the local level
COORDINATION Doubts concerning the efficient
coordination among many different Administration
Bodies
SKEPTIKISM Spare entrepreneurial initiatives New
and complex procedures
OVERLAP Overlap with other administrative
structures and finanging programmes Public
Development Agencies, other European and National
programmes
17
Problems at the local level
COMPLEX MANAGEMENT Multi-sector objectives and
interventions and difficult coordination among
areas of action and actors
INNOVATIVE ASPECTS Different methodologies and
activities to be implemented
DISORGANIZED TIMETABLE AND SCHEDULING Not enough
working time to efficiently involve local
population, find money, call for tenders,
implement successful activities
18
The Italian experience

• SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES TO BE DISSEMINATED
• LAGs must be well-set up and representative of
  the local system
• Efficient assignation of tasks within each LAG,
  in order to clearly verify the results
• Local Development Plans aiming at the
  valorisation of the local heritage in terms of
  income, employment and professional training,
  improvement in the quality of life
• Set-up of a clear and sustainable strategy within
  LDPs

19
The Italian experience

• SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES TO BE DISSEMINATED
• Increase the awareness of local population and
  their interest in local resources
• Good actors involved with the local development,
  who are interested in collaborating for long-term
  sustainable projects
• Good and experienced Local Administrative Bodies,
  banks, Universitiesto support LAGs

20
The Italian experience

• SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES TO BE DISSEMINATED
• Role of the National Network Unit in terms of
  connnections among LAGs, exchange of information,
  dissemination of good practices
• Suitable timetable setting, in order to schedule
  the activities, implement all programmed actions,
  definitely involve local population
• Self-evaluation, to compare expected results to
  achieved results

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SWOT analysis

• WEAKNESS
• Difficult application of the bottom-up approach.
• Unspecific priority themes and interventions
  within LDPs.
• Low complementarities with other programmes.

• STRONGNESS
• Interest in rural areas, whose problems are
  unsolved by other programmes.
• Creation of Local Development Agencies, active
  also out of Leader.

• THREAT
• Overlap with other programmes.
• Inefficient allocation of resources within LDPs.

• OPPORTUNITY
• Valorisation of local quality productions.
• Valorisation of rural heritage environment,
  culture, traditions
• Human Resources

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Who is the Italian Leader Network?

• INEA
• VIA BARBERINI,36
• 00187 ROMA
• Tel [phone]

• AGRICONSULTING SpA
• VIA VITORCHIANO, 123
• 00189 Roma
• Tel. [phone]

Financed by EU Commission and Ministry for
Agriculture and Forestry Policies
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The Italian Network Leaderin Europe
Italian Regions
The European Observatory
Italian LAGs
Member States
Leader Network In other MSs
European LAGs
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The Italian Network Leader
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The Italian Network Unit Leader
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Thank You!The Italian National Network Unit

• Contact us at
• Redazione_at_reteleader.it
• Or see our web-site
• www.reteleader.it