Report on the implementation and communication strategy in Sardinia

The scope of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the communication plan of the Sardinian 2014-2022 Rural Development Programme (RDP) towards external actors in order to detect the pros and cons of the strategy implemented.

The methodology was based on the following steps. An analysis of documents provided by both the region and the technical assistance. In particular, the annual implementation reports (AIRs) from 2015 to 2021 were examined, the surveys carried out by the technical assistance service (RAS) for the implementation of communication actions (AT Com) in 2021 and the monitoring data provided by RAS from AT Com’s progress reports.

A qualitative analysis of the outputs of the communication activities undertaken by the region until the end of December 2023, including an analysis of the websites dedicated to the promotion of the RDP. This information and data were enriched with additional qualitative data of primary origin, collected through an in-depth interview with the head of the communication plan and the contact person for the structure that manages the technical assistance service for implementing communication actions.

The report aims to answer the following evaluation questions:

1. Have the communication activities ensured adequate visibility among the recipients of the RDP on the role played by the European funds for agriculture and rural development?
2. Did the communication activities ensure clear, complete, timely, visible, transparent, homogeneous and accessible information for the recipients?
3. Did the communication activities raise awareness of the role played by European funds for agriculture and rural development?
4. Have the communication activities been carried out through effective inter-institutional coordination between the parties involved, in synergy with the institutional communication activities and the various programmes referred to in the 2014-2020 Unitary Programming?

Although a plurality of methodologies has been adopted, the data analysis suffered from the lack of some sources. The data monitoring system for communications actions does not provide a complete and articulated set of data on all the communication tools used from 2015 onwards, the quality of which has been at a watershed since 2021, coinciding with the activation of technical assistance for communications.

The following results have been reported. RDP communication activities have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to reach their target audiences, highlighting a targeted, strategic approach to informing and engaging stakeholders. The plurality of tools and channels adopted has enabled coverage of a wide spectrum of recipients, ensuring information accessibility at various levels.

While there have been positive signs in terms of the use of financial and human resources, there is a need for greater transparency and traceability in the allocation and use of resources. In some cases, the lack of detailed documentation raises questions about the process's full efficiency.

The communication of the RDP appears coherent across its different articulations; however, there is little interaction among the different regional agencies and institutional actors involved in communicating agricultural policies and the RDP, in particular.