These are the main data of the work developed by theThe 29 Rural Development Groups (GDR) in Castile-La Manchaunder the coordination of the Castellano-Manchega Network for Rural Development (Recamder), in the Leader period 2014-2022, declared the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Julian Martínez Lizánduring the Conference on Rural Development Review of Leader Programming in Castile-La Mancha 2014-2022′, which is being held this morning in Munera, as reported by the Commission in a press release.
Of the 12,000 jobs consolidated and created, 33 percent correspond to young women“which highlights not only the program’s commitment to the inclusion of young people and women in the rural labor market, but also the clear awareness that, without women, cities languish and die, but we must continue to move forward because women represent 50 percent of the population.
Regarding entrepreneurship, out of more than 4,800 projects, around 2,500 involved the creation, improvement or expansion of rural infrastructure. More than 1,600 were spent on promoting non-agricultural activities“thus diversifying the rural economy and opening parallel opportunities to the primary sector”.
In the field of processing and marketing of agricultural products, 437 other projects are counted which are those executed and paid until today, although this number will increase once the execution and certification deadlines have passed. Finally, there are 356 other projects dedicated to territorial promotion and training.
All these projects are supported by public aid of 176 million of which a payment of 6.4 million will be made this Wednesday, reaching an execution of 160 million euros, “90 percent of funds in the absence of something” more of one year until the program closes.”
Regardless of the economic sector to which they were dedicated, the advisor valued the innovation that the projects brought to cities and, in this sense, he explained that the Leader approach promoted innovation in rural territories, mobilizing 40.12 percent of total investment.
As for the population covered by Leader strategies, it reached 1.2 million inhabitants, or 60 percent of the regional population, “with the added value of doing so thanks to the proximity and support of people who are committed to ensuring that your projects have a future.” with flexibility to respond to urgent and unexpected needs, as evidenced by the pandemic, when the LAG launched projects to support local entrepreneurs and municipalities, and promote our identity by promoting the territory.
To conclude his analysis of this period, Julián Martínez Lizán added an element of qualitative analysis to the work carried out by the RDA and the entrepreneurs engaged in the rural environment, “and this is the great importance that it has not only for the structuring of a vast territory like Castilla-La Mancha, but for the maintenance of a social, cultural, economic, environmental and ethnographic heritage.
The new leader
In connection with the idea of the future, the advisor explained that, in the new programming period, the regional government has made 94 million available to the 29 RDAs for their participatory local development strategies and to continue supporting projects private and public initiatives.
In addition, and to make work easier, new features have been introduced in this new period. The result of these is due mainly to the impetus that Castilla-La Mancha wants to give to the greater autonomy of the GDR and to the joint work of the ministry with Recamder to respond to the historical demands of the groups, “which highlights the proper functioning of the network as a qualified interlocutor between the groups and the regional administration.
Among these new features, the work of the groups is favored by increasing the funds available for their own projects, passing the percentage that can be allocate them 6% to 34.5%. A historical requirement was also raised, such as that of the responsibility of those who fail, so that they do not fall on the same groups.
The advisor also highlighted the establishment of the Entrepreneurship Bonus, since Castile-La Mancha, together with Asturias, is the only region to benefit from specific non-refundable aid of 27,000 euros for people interested in starting an activity non-agrarian in rural areas, in municipalities experiencing intense or extreme depopulation. To date, seven groups have already requested entrepreneurship aid amounting to 1.1 million euros which could enable 41 people to launch into entrepreneurship in depopulated areas.
Recognition of the 29th GDR
The event, attended by the mayor of Munera, Desiderio Martínez; and the president of Recamder, Jesús Ortega, began with some words of welcome from the institutional representatives and gratitude to the 29 groups.
Immediately afterwards, 29 prizes were awarded to the selected projects, one per group, to which all the authorities congratulated and thanked them for taking risks and investing in the rural environment and wished their projects a long life.
Then, a round table was organized in which the programming was revised and, finally, the day closed with the presence of the Deputy Minister of Common Agricultural Policy and Agro-Environmental Policies, Gracia Canales. The event is financed by the Rural Development Network of Castile-La Mancha and the Provincial Deputation of Albacete.
The council doubles its contribution
For his part, the president of the Provincial Council, Santi Cabanerounderlined the importance of these meetings, stressing that this day had for him a triple reason for joy: returning to Munera, sharing the event with the Minister of Agriculture and his team, and discussing a central issue such as the rural development and the crucial role that rural development groups have played with the application of the Leader program, as reported by the Provincial Council in a press release.
The president stressed that “rural development groups are the best tool to work for rural development and against depopulation because, if we say that the causes that lead us to depopulation, that the solutions for rural development are very diverse, there is nothing better. rather than these opportunities being identified by those operating in the territory.
Cabañero stressed that the institution he chairs has always believed “firmly” in the “tireless” work of the GDR. Thus, the strengthening of economic support that the Government of the Provincial Council is already planning for next year for the RDAs operating in the territory has progressed.
“In this new budget that we are designing these days for 2025, we are going to double the contribution and provide to each of the groups in the province of Albacete because we believe that there is no policy better invested in development rural than that which is done in concert with development groups.
Thus, the Specific Appeal which, until now, has endowed with 120,000 euros for the six Rural development groups in the province will become count 240,000 euros (40,000 for each group)which will involve the allocation of one million euros per mandate from the Provincial Institution.
