Rialb reservoir and biking (Lluís Vidal) Consorci Grup d’Acció Local Noguera – Segrià Nord Noguera: Àger, Albesa, Algerri, Alòs de Balaguer, Artesa de Segre, les Avellanes i Santa Area: 2 Linya, Balaguer, la Baronia de Rialb, Bellcaire d’Urgell, Bellmunt d’Urgell, Cabanabona, 1.967,10 km Camarasa, Castelló de Farfanya, Cubells, Foradada, Ivars de Noguera, Menàrguens, Montgai, Oliola, Os de Balaguer, Penelles, Ponts, Preixens, la Sentiu de Sió, Térmens, Population: Tiurana, Torrelameu, Vallfogona de Balaguer, Vilanova de l’Aguda and Vilanova de Meià. 52.863 inhabitants Segrià: Alfarràs, Alguaire, Almenar, Corbins, la Portella and Vilanova de la Barca. Population density: 26,87 inhab./km2 Number of municipalities: 36 municipalities Territory Contact details Consorci Grup d’Acció Local Noguera - Segrià Nord works in Noguera and in six municipalities of the North of Segrià region. This territorial area is divided into two very different parts in Office landscape terms: the North part, with Montsec range close to Pre-Pyrenees, and the plains in the South, occupied by cultivation land, horticulture and non-irrigated land, among which Noguera Regional Council fruits trees and cereals stand out. Pg. Àngel Guimerà, 28-30 The most important economic industries are the agrarian, in expansion thanks to the irri- 25600 Balaguer gated-land facilities; and the tourist, which has a lot of possibilities, especially those related Phone (+34) 973 44 89 33 to the natural and landscape heritage in Montsec and its sky, which has been certified as a “Starlight Reserve”. www.noguerasegrianord.cat [email protected] The territory also has the distinctive feature that it is bordering with the capital of the de- C facebook.com/ partment and its influential area; so it is very close to important communication ways, such as Consorci-GAL-Noguera-Segrià-Nord high-speed train railway station Lleida –Pirineus and Alguaire airport. L @LEADERNogueraSe Another factor that can have effects on the development possibilities of the area is the high rate of ageing and an important index of depopulation in certain population centres, which particularly affects the youngest group of people, and especially those who are highly educa- ted and talented, caused by the greater opportunities that the city offers to them. The strategy The strategy of the Consortium is based on the core idea to promote a culture based on the valorisation of its local resources, its people and its opportunities. The main target is to gen- erate self-esteem for the territory, give it value and make it appear all its potentialities, spread them, and transform them into the driving force for development. This goal will be achieved and developed by implementing different action lines: the encouragement and moni- toring of entrepreneur culture; the support and consolidation of companies; the promotion of tourism; the transformation and trade of agrifood products; and the return of youth. Regarding the encouragement of creation and consolidation of companies in the region, support will be given to the companies who have shown their viability in order to assure their consolidation. The entrepreneur culture will be promoted and the territorial opportunities will be highlighted in order to enable the creation of new enterprises. Finally, as measures to optimize the efficiency and guarantee the economic and environmental sustainability of the activities awareness will be given to business people and population in general about the climate change and the preservation of natural resources. Secondly, efforts will be focused on the promotion of tourism, by paying particularly attention to the creation of activities that are environmentally friendly. In this way, Consortium believes in the need to generate synergies with other sectors, such as the agrifood industry, and with the promotion of resources related to natural, historic, gastronomic and particularly, all the possibilities linked to the certification of the region as a “Tourist Destination Starlight” and as a “Starlight Reserve”. Traditional salty cake- “Coca de recapte” (Consorci Grup d’Acció Local Noguera- Segrià nord) Thirdly, regarding the agrifood products, specific work will be carried out in order to increase the processing of the local productions and their commercialisation. In this sense, it is nec- essary to assist all the initiatives of direct or proximity sales, and take the advantage of the closeness to capital of the department as a consumption centre. Finally, work will be done in order to enable the return of young people to rural areas, by setting strategies to promote the knowledge and the feeling of belonging and esteem to the region; the encouragement of entrepreneur culture in the educational centres; and the awareness of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities among the youth with higher education. Cooperation interests • Entrepreneurship and consolidation of enterprises • Astrotoursim and other outdoor tourism, such as nature, gastronomic and experimental tourism • Local products and improvement of commercialisation Starlight Reserve (Mar Tapia) • Synergies between agrifood and tourist sectors • Energy efficiency • Return of youth, employment and youth’s settlement .