About the Rural Development Programme
The Rural Development Programme (RDP) was established to help rural communities meet the needs of a changing economic environment. Over the past decade, the Programme has helped to improve the economic, environmental, and social opportunities available to rural people living in rural areas.
Since 1991, three organisations have played a significant role in the Rural Development Programme. These are:
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
- develops and co-ordinates rural development policy
- manages implementation of rural development strategies, programmes and projects
- acts as an interface between the Rural Development Programme and other public sector bodies
Rural Development Council
- provides guidance and support for community groups interested in economic regeneration projects
- undertakes research and training activities on behalf of rural people and rural communities
- advises Government on rural development issues
Rural community Network
- represents the views and interests of rural communities
- supports community development through networking, community infrastructure and participation in partnerships
- works in association with Sub-Regional Networks in the first stage of community development
The EU LEADER Programme is the European Union’s (EU) Community Initiative on Rural Development it is designed to deal with the problems that affect all the rural areas of Europe and has been an integral part of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme since the start. The NI LEADER+ Programme is delivered by 12 local action groups, each is provided with funding to implement a development strategy that will address the needs and potential of micro-business in their area.
The 2001 - 2006 RDP established a number of new delivery partnerships. Five Natural Resource Rural Tourism Partnerships deliver an element of the NI PEACE II Programme that is designed to exploit the increased tourism potential arising from peace.
A number of cross border partnerships deliver the rural initiative measure of the INTERREG IIIA programme and North South Rural Voice delivers the cross border measure of the PEACE II Programme.
In addition to DARDni, RDC and RCN delivering elements of the Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity a number of Area Based Groups have been established to deliver sectoral and area based projects and programmes.
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