It was recognised from the outset that the Rural Development Programme 2001-2006 should be able to tackle the widest possible range of needs in a flexible and integrated way. For this reason, the Programme has five main strands.

Five Key Strands of the Programme

• Capacity Building – to strengthen rural communities through the provision of advice and financial assistance. It will provide rural people with the skills, knowledge and experience which they need to play a part in the significant economic, environmental and social changes impacting on rural areas;
• Local Regeneration Projects and Programmes – to provide the resources rural people need to implement their plans to improve the economic, environmental and social and cultural conditions in their areas;
• Sectoral and Area-Based Development Projects and Proposals – projects and programmes designed to tacke the needs and opportunities of specific sectors in the rural economy, environment or society, when these are best tackled by area based or region wide programmes, rather than a series of projects in local communities;
• Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative – a special PEACEII funded Initiative to help Northern Ireland’s disadvantaged rural areas take advantage of the particular opportunities that are presented by tourism in the context of greater political stability. The Initiative targets five disadvantaged areas, and
• Micro-business Development – this is the focus of the LEADER+ Programme in Northern Ireland. Local partnerships are encouraged to test out new approaches to maximise the economic potential of very small businesses in rural areas including small farms.

Four Main Target Groups

In addition, the Programme aimed to make a positive impact in disadvantaged areas, and to promote the participation of four target groups:

• Women
• Young People
• Farmers and farm families; and
• The long-term Unemployed.