What are LAGs working on? Episode 2
- CAP Implementation
- LEADER
- Smart Villages
- Climate and Climate Change
- Jobs, Growth and Equality in Rural Areas
We continue our series with a look at Local Development Strategies by two LAGs in Poland and Denmark, where LEADER is enabling Smart Villages, social capital and economic innovation.
Our series of articles dedicated to the work of Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the current programming period continues with a look at Local Development Strategies by two LAGs in Denmark and Poland.
- Read our previous articles exploring what LAGs are working on
LAG Dorzecze Bobrzy, Poland: Smart Villages and social capital
LAG Dorzecze Bobrzy (Bobrza River Basin LAG) has been operating since 2006 in the Świętokrzyskie region, covering five municipalities surrounding the regional capital Kielce.
Urszula Żelazny has been involved in the LAG since 2007 and became the LAG Manager in 2009. She has witnessed how, in almost 20 years, “the LAG has evolved and matured alongside the local community” and explains how their new Local Development Strategy (LDS) reflects new local needs. The LDS is funded from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Regional Operational Programme of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
In preparing the LDS for 2023-2027, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recommended that the LAGs limit the number of their thematic areas of work to a maximum of three, to be identified through an analysis of local needs and of the priorities of the CAP Strategic Plan. This aimed to increase the effectiveness and coherence of actions undertaken by LAGs. They had to ensure the inclusion of the three-sector partnerships (public, private and non-governmental actors), as well as the active participation of the local community in the strategy design, to ensure more targeted and efficient use of funds for the sustainable development of rural areas.
LAG Dorzecze Bobrzy focused its LDS on two strategic directions: the development of public infrastructure based on the Smart Village concept, and the strengthening of social capital through community activation, particularly among young people and seniors.
The LAG launched its first call for projects in March 2025, focusing on small public infrastructure. Agreements with the beneficiaries are currently being signed. A call for proposals for the development of Smart Village concepts is planned to be launched between November and December 2025. In 2026, the LAG plans to launch calls for grants for NGO equipment and another call for public infrastructure projects, focused on implementing the Smart Village concepts developed earlier.
The Bobrza River Basin LAG was among the first in Poland to pilot the Smart Villages approach during the previous programming period. Their approach to Smart Villages combines technology, social cooperation and local resources to improve the quality of life in rural areas.
“In the current period, we plan to continue this work by preparing new Smart Village concepts and implementing selected elements within projects supporting small-scale public infrastructure”, Urszula continues. “These actions aim to improve access to services, strengthen community ties and create modern, inclusive spaces that make rural areas more attractive places to live.”
- Interested in Smart Villages? Learn about the approach in Italy
The second pillar of the LAG's strategy is the development of social capital through grants for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), particularly targeting young people and seniors.
Many of the people who established the LAG some 20 years ago remain active and involved, but the LAG now faces the challenge of involving a new generation of young residents.
“To achieve this, we are launching our own project, ‘Creating Social Leaders’, aimed at building leadership and civic skills among young people and inspiring them to take part in local initiatives”, explains Urszula.
While the LAG area still records population growth, the Świętokrzyskie region as a whole experiences depopulation and ageing challenges. “That is why our goal is clear: to make our area an attractive place for young people to live, work, and build their future, ensuring vibrant and resilient rural communities.”
This focus on community-oriented activities and social development marks a shift compared to the previous programming period, when nearly 80% of the LDS budget was dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship, business start-ups, and expansion.
Urszula stresses the importance of cooperation and networking with the other LAGs in the region and across the country as a key element for the LAG's work and for her own work. Her role as a LAG manager is enhanced by her serving as the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Świętokrzyskie Network of LAGs, as well as representing the Polish Network of LAGs in the EU CAP Network's Subgroup on LEADER and Territorial Development and the Monitoring Subcommittee on Community-Led Local Development (CLLD).
Partnership, mutual support and the exchange of experience significantly enhance the quality of LEADER implementation and enable cooperation. This has allowed Polish LAGs to develop common and harmonised procedures for project assessment and selection, ensuring transparency and efficiency in the implementation of local strategies. Almost one thousand members of LAGs from across Poland have joined a Facebook group, which they use as a living platform to share knowledge, seek advice, exchange best practices, and find partners for joint projects.
“This kind of cooperation and peer learning truly embodies the LEADER spirit – local communities working together to strengthen their capacities and to build more resilient and innovative rural areas”, concludes Urszula.
- Browse the LAG Directory to learn more about Polish LAGs
LAG MANK, Denmark: social and economic innovation and local drive
LAG MANK operates at the heart of Denmark, covering the municipalities of Middelfart, Assens, Nordfyn and Kerteminde – an area characterised by strong local identities, distinctive natural and cultural landscapes, and a growing need to create better connections between rural and urban areas. The nearby university city of Odense plays a particularly important role as a national cluster for robotics, drone and automation technologies.
LAG Manager Anders Holmskov explains: “The new LDS builds on these qualities and seeks to link them with new opportunities for sustainable growth, social cohesion and local innovation – with the overarching aim of counteracting rural depopulation.”
The LDS has three key themes: nature and culture, future local jobs, and community development.
The interplay between nature and culture is meant not only in terms of protecting the landscape, but also to activate it as a framework for experiences, learning and community. Under this theme, the LAG supports both commercial projects within the experience economy, and non-profit initiatives that enhance the quality of life in rural areas.
A good example is the project Blue Bridge Builders, through which several local associations have joined forces to develop recreational maritime infrastructure on the old harbour, including a new bridge structure with an integrated sea garden and facilities for meetings and knowledge sharing. The target groups are local divers, members of the community sea garden, and visitors. The project improves access to the water and invites young people, schools and tourists to experience the sea as a shared cultural space – but also a space endangered by pollution.
Under the theme Future local jobs, LAG MANK supports innovation and the green transition as drivers of local employment. The project CO₂ Capture System for the Food Industry, developed by the company Dalum Beverage Equipment, illustrates how rural enterprises can contribute to global solutions and local job creation by developing technology for capturing and reusing CO₂ from brewing processes. The project combines applied technological development with sustainability and demonstrates how small and medium-sized enterprises can play an active role in the green transition.
The third theme, Community development, focuses on participation and social cohesion, particularly among young people. This theme stems from a local challenge: it is difficult to compete with the appeal of larger cities. “Instead of trying to imitate them, we aim to give young people such a positive experience of growing up in rural areas that they will want to return after completing their education and start families here", says Anders.
In the project Cable29, a former warehouse and cable production factory has been transformed into a creative youth hub where young people can meet, initiate activities and take ownership of their local area. The project demonstrates how physical spaces and social innovation can go hand in hand, strengthening the narrative of community and belonging. LAG MANK has provided financial support and, through its network, linked the initiative to a local skateboard association, turning the project into a partnership between several local actors.
Together, these examples show how LAG MANK’s strategy builds bridges between people and places. The strategy has been developed within the framework set by the Danish Managing Authority and is based on the LEADER principles of local anchoring, partnership and innovation. This means that rather than merely funding projects, LAG MANK works actively to create connections, synergies and capacity building between initiatives.
“Following the LEADER principles also means that LAG MANK has enjoyed considerable freedom to define priority areas suited to our local economic, social and cultural context, while maintaining close cooperation with national authorities to ensure the best possible implementation of the strategy and achievement of its goals", concludes Anders.
- Browse the LAG Directory to learn more about Danish LAGs
