Promoting a New Rural Development Approach in Akhalkalaki
About the Project
Georgian Rural Development Department of Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GRDD of GIPA) in partnership with Mercy Corps, Elva Community Engagement and West Cork Development Partnership is implementing the Promoting a New Rural Development Approach in Akhalkalaki project financed by the European Union within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development in Georgia (ENPARD).
Project Location: Akhalkalaki Municipality
Project Aim: to promote a bottom-up, inclusive rural development approach in Akhalkalaki that fully engages all communities in the municipality and specifically women and youth.
Project Duration: 44 months (Now 2016– Apr 2020)
New Innovative Approach LEADER
The project is based on European LEADER principals. LEADER is a (French) acronym that translates is to enlist the resources of people and organizations that could contribute to rural development by forming partnerships at a sub-regional level among the public, private and civil society sectors. LEADER uses local knowledge to outline development priorities and needs in the form of a Local Development Strategy and through a community-led approach it supports and finances grant applications to develop the local community and economy.
LEADER is based on seven principles: Area-based local development Strategy; Bottom-up understanding and implementation of strategies; Local public-private partnership; Integrated and multi-sectorial actions; Innovation Cooperation and Networking.
Akhalkalaki Local Action Group
The Local Action Group (LAG) is a platform comprised of representatives of private, public and civil sectors of a municipality (30 members). Taking into consideration the challenges and perspectives of the municipality, LAG defines and elaborates local development priorities, on the basis of what it then develops as a local development strategy. According to the priorities identified in local development strategies, LAG announces contents to select local development projects for funding.