What are LAGs working on? Episode 1

The EU CAP Network’s LAG Directory offers a clear overview of seventeen key topics tackled by the LDSs, including access to service and infrastructure, preserving rural businesses and the local heritage and culture, and smart villages (see graphic below).

Information about the topics a LAG is working on is very useful for networking and knowledge exchange among LAGs, who can learn from – and inspire – each other to develop local solutions to common (or global) challenges.

However, precisely because of LEADER's local dimension, two LAGs can understand and work on the same topic in very different ways. For this reason, we asked three LAGs to present the key topics in their LDS.

LAG Leipziger Muldenland, Germany: environmental and social concerns at the core

Matthias Wagner, Manager of the LAG Leipziger Muldenland, described the focus topics for their LDS: co-working in rural areas, the development of small waterways, the development of regional food chains and support to local food producers and regional restaurants, the development and qualification of a national geopark, and youth participation.

The specific fields of action could be freely chosen by the LAGs based on a list of eight general themes (services and quality of life, work and economy, education, tourism, private housing, nature, fisheries, and the LAG) suggested by the Managing Authority of the Federal State of Saxony, where the LAG is located. LAGs could also further specify their focus in their LDSs.

The focus topic of co-working responds to an increasing demand in Leipzig and the surrounding rural areas. LAG Leipziger Muldenland was previously involved in the Transnational Cooperation (TNC) project ‘COLABORA’ (with partners from Latvia, France, Catalonia and UK-Wales), which was an opportunity to ‘pioneer’ this topic in its territory (piloting the concept and analysing the demand). Based on this experience in the previous programming period, the LAG is now supporting networking, coordination and public relations for the six co-working spaces operating in its territory, run by independent operators. The LAG also uses some of these spaces for weekly ‘consulting hours’ for potential project beneficiaries.

In response to the need for better water management in the area, the LDS includes small rivers and waterbodies as a topic, which requires a lot of networking and coordination among different stakeholders (landowners, farmers, ministries, local authorities), as well as specific project management skills. Besides networking, the LAG offers a software module on caring for water bodies and has held a few training and practical lessons for the municipalities.

Local products and local food are abundant in the region. The LAG helps local food producers to promote their products through the REGIOApp, which also features restaurants offering local products. For over ten years, the LAG's project ‘Regio Brunch’ has offered in-person networking opportunities to connect local food producers and regional restaurants.

The geopark development is another long-term endeavour. It has been ongoing for the past ten years, including through a TNC project with other geoparks in Europe. Its activities include education, tourism, food and cultural projects.

Youth participation is a theme close to the LAG's heart: their flagship project ‘Ju & Me’, where young people mentor regional policy makers, is in its third iteration. The LAG also supports local youth groups, NGOs and municipalities working on youth participation through local and EU-level networking, including through ERASMUS+.

LAG Pontevedra Norte, Spain: a participatory process to select the LDS topics

The LDS of LAG Pontevedra Norte (Galicia) includes eight objectives: improving energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy; regional economic development and improved competitiveness; implementing the farm-to-table strategy in the region; digitalisation; healthcare services; social responsibility measures; the conservation of rural heritage; and promoting cooperation across all these objectives.

LAG Manager Ramiro Ruibal notes: “For me, as a native of this region, it's impossible to choose which objective is most important. All of them are part of the necessary framework for the region to develop sustainably, maintaining its population and implementing the services necessary to guarantee an optimal quality of life in rural areas.”

These strategic objectives were identified through a participatory process within the region, although they refer to the main regional policy framework, with priorities including sustainable development, a ‘farm-to-table' strategy, and digitalisation. The Managing Authority provided general thematic indications to ensure that LDSs contribute to regional strategic priorities. The specific LDS themes were developed by the LAG in a participatory, bottom-up process to guarantee the ‘best fit’ with local needs and ensure a high level of interest by potential beneficiaries.

At the time of writing, the LAG is in the evaluation phase of applications for the first call, although Ramiro notes that the LAG has received a significant number of applications that relate to the use of renewable energy.

The LAG is collaborating with three other LAGs in Galicia on a cooperation project promoted by four Galician LAGs, aiming to promote local products, gastronomy and local food festivals. LAGs from other countries have already expressed interest in this project at the LINC2025 conference, which may pave the way for a transnational cooperation project.

A sub-theme of ‘economic development and job creation' concerns the Green Economy. The LDS aims to build community capacity to develop and sustain a local circular economy and support initiatives towards community benefit from renewable energy. Strategic actions include support to bottom-up initiatives, the expansion and network support of the Kilkenny Energy Town model, cooperating with other Irish LAGs on circular economy initiatives, and support to rural enterprises to adopt new technologies or engage in environmental initiatives.

Another sub-theme concerns social, community and cooperative enterprises and aims to develop local communities' capacity for sustainable and ‘smart’ planning. Strategic actions include the Smart Village cooperation project ‘Smarter and stronger together’, where the LAG’s focus is on developing resilience, agency and autonomy for the community (e.g. helping communities with an interest in supporting renewable energy projects retain the income from excess power sold to a mainstream electricity network; rural villages installing their own broadband fibre networks and WiFi matrixes and, again, recycling the excess into e.g. environmental projects, etc.). Other initiatives include ‘town ecologies’ combining participatory planning and formal planning processes, a peer mentoring and training programme for community development, and support to community and social enterprises.

A sub-theme of rural infrastructure and social inclusion is accessible services. The LDS aims to develop an inclusive mobility strategy for rural Kilkenny through public transport integration and Active Travel, which supports the development of community-led local travel initiatives such as Lingaun Loop. The sub-theme of rural youth aims at sustaining rural populations through supporting programmes and initiatives for rural young people, for example, through Youth for Climate Action, which supports young people’s engagement with community development with a focus on ‘care for nature’ and climate action.

For sustainable development, under the sub-theme sustainable development of the rural environment, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership is building informed practice among communities in the conservation and celebration of natural and cultural heritage. Actions include optimising the habitat and biodiversity value of Kilkenny’s hedgerows and townland boundaries, something that, as Declan explains, "will require the whole community to participate in their protection and restoration, and to tell their story as a shared valued environmental and cultural resource". Other actions include the development of a Citizens' Science Corps to support environmental and climate action goals, and the development of an umbrella River Catchment Trust on the catchment areas of three rivers, in cooperation with neighbouring counties.

Work in progress

Check the next editions of the LEADER newsletter for more updates on LEADER implementation, the work of the LAGs and the topics of their Local Development Strategies – if you missed the previous editions, you can still read our recent articles on the state of the art of LEADER implementation in Austria, Italy and Lithuania and how eastern and Baltic states are using LEADER for community resilience and security.

Build a good habit and check the LAG Directory regularly to find updated information provided by the LAGs – and to update your own LAG profile, if you are a LAG Manager yourself!