The role of technicians in the interaction between potential beneficiaries and Abruzzo’s RDP

The study is carried out in the framework of the independent evaluation service of the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme of the Abruzzo region and covers 2016-2022.

The scope of the evaluation is to focus on the delivery system of RDP, to assess 1) whether institutional communication channels meet the needs of operators and users; 2) the modalities and tools used by CAAs; and 3) whether technicians are adequate to support potential beneficiaries of the regional RDP.

The methodological approach is quantitative and qualitative, based on judgements and opinions collected through structured questionnaires and then statistically processed.

The analysis is structured in evaluation questions, judgment criteria and specifically designed indicators.

Among the conclusions, the most relevant ones show that communication channels set up by the Managing Authority of the RDP meet the needs of operators and users. More than 80% of technicians learnt about the publication of RDP calls from the programme's website, which is the main mode of communication. The opinion of operators and users is generally positive, with some reservations about the ease of navigation.

Adequate visibility is given to the opportunities offered by the RDP. Most technicians have been supported by documents and dissemination initiatives by Italy's agricultural department. The degree of satisfaction is high for the organisation and content, with almost everyone considering these initiatives useful and necessary.

Participation in the RDP calls is very often critical. More than 70% of technicians encounter technical difficulties uploading applications to the National Agricultural Information System (NIAS) due to system failures or problems entering the documentation.

Procedural management of projects is facilitated by the region, which represents the preferred interlocutor, compared to the Paying Agency, for resolving problems when uploading applications into the system and other critical issues when managing applications for support and payment.

To conclude, technicians highlight the need to set up tenders for less structured farms with more basic needs. They also suggest simplifying the application and approval of variants in cases where these are determined by external contingencies or are dictated by technical requirements.