Some ingredients for Some ingredients for successful rural developmentsuccessful rural development

Koen De RijckKoen De RijckConsultant on HNV farmlandConsultant on HNV farmlandWWF-Danube Carpathian ProgrammeWWF-Danube Carpathian Programme

Rural contextRural context

• People leave rural areas at alarming ratePeople leave rural areas at alarming rate

• Abandonment is a key threat to High Abandonment is a key threat to High Nature Value farmlandsNature Value farmlands– Scrub encroachment on 21% of semi-natural Scrub encroachment on 21% of semi-natural

grasslands in Bulgariagrasslands in Bulgaria

• Programmes: SAPARD, RDP, AEM, Axis 2Programmes: SAPARD, RDP, AEM, Axis 2

• Natura 2000Natura 2000

• Emphasis an transposition of EU policyEmphasis an transposition of EU policy

• Gap between institutions and reality on the Gap between institutions and reality on the groundground

Efforts till nowEfforts till now

Model projectsModel projects

• Arnika project in Apuseni mountainsArnika project in Apuseni mountains

• MaramuresMaramures

• Local food guide in CarpathiansLocal food guide in Carpathians

• Payment for Environmental Services in Payment for Environmental Services in Russenski LomRussenski Lom

What comes out?What comes out?

• Need to be IN the communitiesNeed to be IN the communities

• Permanent “face” / focal pointPermanent “face” / focal point

• Long termLong term

• Include farmers’ aspirationsInclude farmers’ aspirations– Quality of lifeQuality of life– Employment, incomeEmployment, income– Pride, recognitionPride, recognition

Farmers’ demandsFarmers’ demands

Give me Give me economical economical rewardreward

Allow me to get Allow me to get social social status/respect status/respect and personal and personal satisfactionsatisfaction

Minimize rules Minimize rules and and regulations, or regulations, or make them make them more clearmore clear

Make rural life Make rural life attractiveattractive

Make farming Make farming attractiveattractive

Make HNV Make HNV farming farming attractiveattractive

*Work in diversified economy**Work in diversified economy*

→ → DevelopmentDevelopment approachapproach

*Adapt to world market**Adapt to world market* → → Production approachProduction approach

*Don’t dare to damage anything**Don’t dare to damage anything*

→→ Conservation approachConservation approach

Farmers’ demandsFarmers’ demands

• Different approaches, but farmers think Different approaches, but farmers think about the whole box!about the whole box!

• How to reach the farmer?How to reach the farmer?– Money is universal language > Financial aspectMoney is universal language > Financial aspect– Show him/her he/she is somebody > Societal Show him/her he/she is somebody > Societal

aspectaspect

FutureFuture

• Local strategy to reach our goalsLocal strategy to reach our goals– GOs, advisory servicesGOs, advisory services– NGOsNGOs– Farmers organisationsFarmers organisations

• Conservation starts in farmers’ mindsConservation starts in farmers’ minds

• Intensive work!Intensive work!

• Only realistic way to deliver results?!Only realistic way to deliver results?!

koen.derijck@gmail.comkoen.derijck@gmail.com