Empowering Rural Stakeholders in the Western Balkans

Empowering rural stakeholders in the Western Balkans Agriculture and Rural Development Empowering rural stakeholders in the Western Balkans 2 3 Empowering rural stakeholders in the Western Balkans Table of contents © rdimitrova Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 7 Challenge – the present state of relations between stakeholders Chapter 1 and governments ......................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Background to the Western Balkans events .................................................................................. 12 Chapter 8 Chapter 2 Opportunity – the road to empowerment of stakeholders The purpose and shape of the events ..................................................................................................... 14 and to partnership between stakeholders and governments ............................. 50 Chapter 3 Annexe 1 Rural reality check in Serbia ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Programmes of the Western Balkan events .................................................................................. 58 Chapter 4 Annexe 2 Rural reality check in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ........... 24 List of participants ..................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Chapter 5 Annexe 3 Rural reality check in Montenegro ................................................................................................................... 32 Acronyms and links .................................................................................................................................................................. 72 Chapter 6 Experience in four countries ....................................................................................................................................... 38 5 Empowering rural stakeholders in the Western Balkans Empowering rural The beauty of the European stakeholders and Project communities is the only way The beauty of the European project emerges where people meet, from very different cultures and professional horizons, where they listen to each other, share ideas, and discover what they have in common. This project of six traveling workshops through the three countries of the Western Balkans–"Empowering rural stakeholders"–was such a revelation, creating common ground forward between local actors, administrations, national governments and European institutions, all involved in rural development. It takes some courage and persistence to agree upon, organise and carry out such an adventure. It requires trust between all partners involved, public institutions, private enterprise and civil society, that it is worth investing energy and time in what we called a common "rural reality check". Looking for solutions to the broad range of real problems we identified in rural areas, we When it comes to rural development, engaging rural stakeholders and have worked from the bottom-up, involving local people and their initiatives as well as their National Rural Networks; and we communities is a prerequisite for any genuine progress. Real advancement in worked from the top-down, including the broad expertise of national ministries and the services of the European Commission. the processes of rural development can be achieved only if everyone is on With our conclusions from this encouraging European event we met somewhere in the middle. We agreed that we must together board. This means local mobilisation, community initiatives, but also building encourage and empower rural people from the bottom-up and from the top-down, so that they can take their own destiny into honest partnerships between stakeholders and governments. It has to come their hands. from the communities themselves, but it has to be supported by decision makers and policies. It is a two-way process that requires not only a lot of effort, but As initiators of this European event, the Standing Working Group also the right tools to make it possible. for Regional Rural Development in South Eastern Europe (SWG) representing the ministries for agriculture and rural development From my personal experience, coming from a new member state, looking back of the region, and PREPARE – promoting civil society partnership at how things evolved in my country, I know that empowering communities on for rural Europe – express their warm thanks to all partners matters such as rural development is an imperative, not an exception. It is a involved in the event. Without the hard work and know-how of difficult task, because rural regions are more exposed to economic constraints, our colleagues in the national networks and the local projects, migration, weak infrastructure or poor public services. I know how challenging and demanding this can be, but I also believe that this is the strong support from national ministries and administrations the only way forward. and the extraordinary engagement of the Commission services from TAIEX and DG Agriculture and Rural Development, this We need to find better mechanisms to allow for better participation. With its travelling workshops through countries in the Western project would not have been possible. Balkans, this project is not only about getting these countries closer to Europe, but also about understanding their needs, and assessing relationships between governments and stakeholders. You will find all these in this report and it is valuable information for Europe and We very much hope that the recommendations from this report for the countries concerned. However, for me, its value resides also in finding and testing new methods of societal engagement, ways will be helpful for day to day work of all involved and an to put together stakeholders and political leaders. Its importance goes beyond the EU enlargement process as its conclusions and the encouragement to further cooperation. recommendations could be extrapolated to any policy initiative applicable at the EU level. Boban Ilic, When it comes to designing EU policies - and rural development is one of them – we need new methods, new ideas, and new tools to Secretary General, SWG empower citizens, stakeholders and governments, to create a climate of trust. Farmers, entrepreneurs, NGOs, village communities need and to be involved, to participate, allowing decision makers to have a clear view of realities and needs on the ground. For this to happen we Hannes Lorenzen, must find better ways to listen, we need to be more inclusive in our dialogue with society. This is particularly important in rural areas Chair of Organising Group where people are still insufficiently connected to these processes, and this is the reason why I followed this project with great attention. PREPARE Partnership for Rural Europe The recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy represented a new direction for the policy itself, but I would like to think it did more than that. That we also introduced a change of method in policy design at EU level. We listened more, we had a better dialogue with the society, we communicated more with farming and non-farming stakeholders, with communities, with NGOs. Nevertheless, I am convinced that more can be done. This is why this report is valuable - not only for its conclusions and recommendations, but also for describing ways to empower rural stakeholders and communities. To the initiators of this project - the Standing Working Group for Regional Rural Development in South Eastern Europe (SWG) and PREPARE - and to all those involved, from public administrations to civil society and citizens, a hearty thank you for your participation and your hard work. I know that this project was also built on valuable personal experiences, and I believe that this is where everything starts: Europe grows with connecting people. Dacian Cioloș, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development 6 7 Empowering rural stakeholders in the Western Balkans Summary © Goran Bogicevic © Goran The events (chapters 1 and 2) each other and with farmers, entrepreneurs, local authorities, level. Rural stakeholders should respond to the growing openness ment and of municipalities. The time is ripe for launching a full This report, and the events recorded in it, focus upon seven Local Action Groups (LAG) and others on their own ground. The of government, and should take initiative in meeting the LEADER programme. Cooperation and networking among rural countries which are at various stages of active or potential participants had time for discussion and reflection on the collective needs of their sectors or their rural communities. stakeholders should be supported by Government, municipalities candidature to join the European Union. Six of the countries are realities as seen by rural people and by the governments who and Local Action Groups. Access to credit and finance should be in the Western Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, serve them. the former Yugoslav Republic of improved. The Government and the European Commission, when Kosovo*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro shaping the IPARD 2 programme,

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