MAF doubles funds for Leader compared to the period 2007 - 2013
Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Food Yavor Gechev and Byurhan Abazov awarded 12 contracts for projects under Measure 421 " Inland and transnational cooperation," which is part of the Axis 4 LEADER under Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The event is the first for the year award of contracts under the LEADER program in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
“LEADER approach is extremely useful for smaller settlements, and although it actually started operating in 2012, the results are impressive. LAGs did the impossible LEADER to reach every corner of the country, "said Deputy Minister Yavor Gechev. He added that in the next programming period funds under LEADER will be estimated to approximately 5% of the program budget, which is about EU130 million. This means that the following year it will be almost doubled compared to 2007-2013.
"Thanks to the LEADER ideas and projects that address specific issues in small regions and communities have been realized. It was exactly LEADER approach that helps population in the specific region to determine the characteristics of the area and take the right steps to improve their lives, "said Deputy Minister Byurhan Abazov. He added that the main priority of this leadership of the Ministry is European money to reach to the smaller villages and farmers.
Representatives of various local action groups stated that LEADER approach convinces more people of its effectiveness and proves itself as an efficient instrument for solving specific regional problems.