Estonian National Estonian National Rural NetworkRural Network

The LEADER TNC and the activities of the National Network in Estonia

Ave Bremse

27. February, 2013

Karksi

Estonian Rural Network UnitEstonian Rural Network Unit

Overall structure – where is NRN?Overall structure – where is NRN?

Managing Authority (MA) Ministry of Agriculture

Paying Agency (PA)Agricultural Registration and Information Board (ARIB)

Rural Economy Research Centre

Department of Rural Network and Fisheries

Network

Department of Analyses of Agricultural Sector (FADN)

National Rural Network (NRN)

Bureau of Rural Network

Bureau of Fisheries Network

Structure of Estonian Rural NetworkStructure of Estonian Rural Network

• Estonian Rural Network Unit – no formal membership, at the moment 7 full time employee

• Network Cooperation Chamber – involves associations and organizations representing programme beneficiaries and organizations and authorities engaged in rural development. The members are selected according to the objectives of the axes of the Rural Development Plan

• Budget – for the period 2007-2013 max. 4,480,000 € from RDP technical assistant

NRN and LNRN and LEADEREADER in 2007-2013 in 2007-2013

• NRN brings parts together,

• Keep dialogue between parts on-going

Website of LeaderWebsite of Leader

• Mainly 3 bigger target groups:1) 26 Local Action Groups (RDP Axis 4)2) wider rural development (RDP Axis 1-3)3) authorities related with implementing RDP

(Axis 1-4)

• Keywords:– Step by step widening the target group (axis 1-

3)– consideration of bottom-up initiative and

cooperation

NRN collects, stores and disseminatesNRN collects, stores and disseminates

Databases on NRN website:- RDP 2007-2013 project examples database, also in English

- Articles of weekly e-newsletter Võrgukiri are archived in database, so the articles are available by themes and sub-themes

- Information about all Estonian RDP measures are collected in the database – it is like a history of measures (beneficiaries, regulations etc) and all articles about project examples can be found from the database through keywords

- Database of Estonian LAGs (also in English) with interactive map and all articles about specific LAG can be found from the database through keywords

• Database of Leader transnational cooperation offers

Cooperation with Estonian Public BroadcastingCooperation with Estonian Public Broadcasting

• Started 2008, continued 2010 and 2011.• Summer 2011:

– TV show “Estonian Game” (Eesti mäng) where NRN helped to search participants from LAGs, helped to find questions (incl. video-questions) and gifts (through LAGs)

– 30 videoclips about different Leader projects from all over the Estonia, each of them are 7-10 minutes long and will be on air during autumn in every Saturday and Sunday at 18.20 in broadcasting named “Beautiful country” (Ilus maa).

– All the videos will also be available on the NRN website through YouTube.

TV show “Estonian Game” and TV show “Estonian Game” and video clips “Beatiful Country”video clips “Beatiful Country”

The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader”Leader”

• 31.03-30.04.2011 A project proposals call was opened – everybody was allowed to make proposals

• 14.-16.04 – NRN disseminated leaflets about the contest in Rural Fair

• All together 64 project proposals in 5 categories (agriculture, rural entrepreneurship, environment, youth, cooperation)

• Lessons learnt: a new category for development projects is also needed

The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader”Leader”

PrizeBrochure with all 20 nominees

The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice The Best Leader projects in 2011 “Notice Leader”Leader”

Estonian LEADEREstonian LEADER

The total Estonian RDP budget of the The total Estonian RDP budget of the programmprogramminging period 2007-2013 period 2007-2013

The total Estonian RDP budget is 924,8,9 mln EUR Axis I Improving the competitiveness

37,6% - 347,6 mln EURAxis II

Improving the environment36,2% - 334,4 mln EUR

Axis IIIQuality of life

12,9% - 118,9 mln EUR Axis IV

LEADER LEADER 10 10 % - 8% - 866 mln EUR mln EUR Technical support4% - 38,1 mln EUR

Axis III

Axis II

Axis I

LEADER TA

NationalNational criteriacriteria

LAG’s legal status = non-governmental organisation Objective of status must be development of rural life Area of LAG = minimum 2 municipalities Small towns up to 4000 inhabitants Municipality can enter to LAG only together with at least 1

community-based organisation + 1 entrepreneur from their area.

LAG should be open for new members LAG must have developed or must intend to develop a local

development strategy Members of the LAG must not be members of any other LAG

at the same time

MainMain tasks carried out by the LAGstasks carried out by the LAGs

Elaboration of calls including definition of local selection criteria

Publication of calls Reception of applications Project assessment Project ranking Final list of selected projects

proposed on the PA including fixing the amount of support

TODAY – Leader covers 99,99% of Estonian TODAY – Leader covers 99,99% of Estonian rural areasrural areas

• Number of LAG’s: 2626• Number of inhabitants in Leader areas: 504 363504 363• The territory of Leader area: 42 827 km²42 827 km²• The average number of inhabitants of Estonian LAGs is

19,41119,411 people per LAG’s are• The biggest number of inhabitants among LAGs: 36,56336,563• The smallest number of inhabitants among LAGs: 7,2407,240

– 24 LAGs – started implementation in 2009; 2 LAGs – started in 2010

Success of Leader in EstoniaSuccess of Leader in Estonia

LAG’s and Leader is visible

LAG = important regional development unit

LAG = real cooperation of sectors

LAG = active internationally

LAG = adviser

LAG = administrative capacity (230 positive applications)

RRegional food networkegional food networkss

• 13 LAGs have established regional food networks to raise the competitiveness of local small producers.

• The well-known networks in Estonia are Delicious South-Estonia (Maitsev Lõuna-Eesti), Local Taste (Uma Mekk), The Greener Mark of Põlva county (Põlvamaa Rohelisem Märk) and marketing association that joins small-producers of Saaremaa island.

Rural Rural tourism networkstourism networks

• 11 LAGs have improved the potential of rural areas through creating new tourism networks.

• Some successful ones are: • Romantic Coastline (Romantiline Rannatee) in Pärnu

county, • Onion Road (Sibulatee) in Tartu county and • Post Road (Postitee) in Põlva county. • Active people have started or are going to start many

projects that are unique, like Peter the Great's Naval Fortress as a military tourism object, geo-park in Tartu and Jõgeva county, etc

Leader implementationLeader implementation(01.11.2012)(01.11.2012)

17%

9%

74%

Private sector Local government Third sector

FinancialFinancial execution ofexecution of LEADER LEADER(05.12.2012) (05.12.2012)

• As if 5. December 2012 paying agency (Agricultural Registers and Information Board – ARIB) has approved 5,999 Leader projects - support in total of 65.1 mln EUR, which:– 3% of RDP Axis 1 - 224 projects and support in total

of 2.7 mln EUR– 96% of RDP Axis 3 – 5,716 projects and support in

total of 57.9 mln EUR– 1 % cooperation projects - 53 projects

Leader Leader cooperation projectscooperation projects

• 1 % cooperation projects – • 53 projects, • 25 of them are transnational cooperation

projects (includes 17 LAG-s)+ 1 TNC projects is in process of apporval

• 6 projects - leading partner Estonia• 5 projects – full payments

• 28 national cooperation projects

Cooperation partners are LAGs(Expected number of LAGs: 2,400; current number 2303)

Number of the currently approved cooperation projects (measure 421) as of Oct, 2012

Climbers-Paradise

RETO

TNC projects as of Oct, 2012 PER COUNTRY

Climbers-Paradise

RETO

Transnational cooperationTransnational cooperation

Estonian LAG-s have partners in 16 countries: Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Luxemburg, France, Austria, Italia, Russia, Portugal, Lithuania, Spain, UK

Avarage TNC budget 223 641 EUR.

Main subjects are: national cultural heritage, expirience exchange, youth, tourism, cooperation between enterpreneurs.

Transnational cooperationTransnational cooperation

• Cooperation in Cultural Heritage Exploitation

• Traditional sailing and maritime heritage

• FENIX

• Clower Power. 4H twinning people.

• From Salla to Salla

• International Theme Routes

• Dare to Dream

• Loving Local Values

• Handicraft

• Planet said to me…

• Ecoland Leader

• Slow Travel Route 1

• CULTrips

• Villages on move

• Yhtteistyöllä lähelle ja kauas

• Tips from Estonia - Experience for South-Karelia

• Transnational Hunting 2012-2013

• FIN-EST Rural youth campS

• Medieval Festivals

• Youth for Youth

• WOLF: Wild Life and Farmers

• Innovative Village

• Growing Gastronauts

Growing Gastronauts

• Saarte Koostöökogu - EE• Hiiumaa Cooperation Network - EE• Central Warwickshire Villages – UK• Shropshire hills AONB Partnership - UK• The objctives of the project is to: • 1) promote local products and culinary know-how; • 2) contribute to the restructuring of realtionships between

producers/retailers/restaurateurs/consumers; • 3) raise awareness of the possibilities of local sourcing by

comparing practices in the different countries; • 4) promote economic development in the partner territories.

LINC CONFERENCE

J une 2.-14. SOUTH-ESTONI A

1 2012

International Conference - LINC 2012

LINC – Leader Inspired Network CommunityPartners: Austria, Germany, Estonia, Finland

12–14 June 2012

Tartu and South-EstoniaSubtopic:  “Involvement and Voluntary Work”

Seminars Local Food

Sport competitionPractical workshops – voluntary work

in 4 different places in South-Estonia

First contact with LAG manager of Urfahr-West was March 2010 in Kirchberg/Austria during LINC conference.

Cultrips project has taken first steps in September 2010 and it will last about 3 years.

CULTrips

LAG Raplamaa Partnership

Population ~35 000 peopleRegion center Rapla 50 km from Tallinn9 municipalities81 LAG members

LINC 2010 CULTrips

Transnational Cooperation Project - CULTrips

Cultural trips in Europe will be based on concept of socio-cultural

exchange and tourism in rural areas.

Tourists and local people active participation are the backbone in the project

PROJECT PARTNERS

Valle Umbra e Sibillini

Central Karelia Jetina and Joensuu

LAG Raplamaa Partnership

Redange-Wiltz

Urfahr-West and Oststeirisches Kernland

KEY VALUES

•Contact to locals

•Story telling

•Learning together

•Authenticity

•Hidden treasures

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Creating the concept of Cultrips

Compose inventory of touristic services and products

Testtrips in every partner region

Tour guides training

Marketing of concept and services

CULTrips TARGET GROUPS

“Unconventional discoverers” and “Ambitious cultural tourists”

group size around 10-20 people

www.raplalead

cultrips.leader.lu

www.raplamaa.ee

Thank you for your attention!

Estonian Rural NetworkEstonian Rural Networkseminar@maainfo.eeseminar@maainfo.ee

www.maainfo.ee www.maainfo.ee