Evaluation of LEADER within the framework of the EAFRD in the Occitania region, France

LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale) was assessed by looking at rural and local development strategies implemented by Local Action Groups (LAGs) in Occitania, considering strategy coherence, contribution to strategic objectives and factors of success and failure. Additionally, 38 LAGs were selected, enabling the mobilisation of over 111 million euros of European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) funding.

The evaluation reveals that, while strategically coherent and maintaining its attractiveness in the face of various implementation challenges, the 2014-2020 LEADER programme primarily focused on public actors and investment financing. However, despite its limited impact on networking and the emergence of new governance practices, the programme showed noticeable effects on rural territories, particularly on key themes, although these impacts were challenging to quantify.

Rural Development Programme: FR - Occitania

Original publication date: 2022