The Region will devote more than 30 million euros for the period 2023-2027 to support rural development, and accompany the innovative projects of the territories selected by this Call for Expressions of Interest, which opens today.

Financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) managed by the Region, the LEADER programme (Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Economie Rurale) supports rural development by financing, in part, the development of the local economy.The LEADER programme (Liaison Entre Actions Développement l'Economie Rurale), managed by the Region, supports rural development by financing innovative projects that meet the current challenges of the territories, as well as coordination and engineering that is as close as possible to the needs.

97% of the communes in Normandy, covering 68% of the population, will become potentially eligible for LEADER 23-27, compared with 75% at present for 52% of the population.

"We have decided to broaden the eligibility criteria for the LEADER programme: It is essential for us not to exclude semi-rural territories which could propose interesting and innovative projects", said Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region.

From November 2020 to January 2021, the Normandy Region carried out a consultation with 700 stakeholders in LEADER territories (members of programming committees, project leaders, managers, etc.). Following this consultation, the Region is launching a Call for Expressions of Interest, open from 2 December 2021 to 24 February 2022, which constitutes the first step in the process of developing the LEADER programme.February 2022, which is the first step in the process that will allow the selection of territories that will benefit from regional support.

To benefit from this support, each territory, after having responded to the AMI, will have to prepare for the call for applications, which is scheduled to be launched in the spring of 2022.The territory will draw up a territorial development strategy, led by a local action group (LAG) made up of public players (local authorities, educational establishments, etc.) and private players (associations, businesses, farms, individuals, etc.).

The final selection will be made at the end of 2022. The aim is to sign agreements with the future LEADER territories in order to start the new programme at the beginning of 2023.

The LEADER programme has already made it possible to finance in Normandy:

• 378 tourism, heritage or town centre revitalisation projects,
• 139 projects for the ecological and energy transition,
• 135 projects in favour of the local economy (shops, crafts, short circuits, etc.),
• 108 cultural projects,
• 102 projects for health, early childhood and the elderly.

• Alençon LAG : acquisition of new medical equipment by the Sées Hospital to develop its local health services
  Thanks to LEADER support, the setting up of an advanced cardiology consultation through the acquisition of a cardiac scanner ('40 000) has been completed.40,000) was made possible, as well as the acquisition of a mini-bus ('34,921) adapted to people with limited mobility and a plane sensor that allows the hospital to be used as aThe acquisition of a mini-bus (34,921 euros) adapted for people with limited mobility and a flat sensor that provides high-resolution images and enables data to be transmitted remotely to the Argentan hospital centre. These projects have helped to develop the healthcare offer in Sées and to consolidate partnerships with the other hospitals in Orne.
• GAL Seine Normande: refurbishment of the Manneville-sur-Risle bar-grocery
  This business was closed for two years before being able to open its doors again, thanks to the determination of a young buyer. The municipality supported this project by buying the business and then carrying out the renovation work on the building, with the support of LEADER to the tune of 90,000 euros. The rebirth of this multi-service business, the "Bar des Sports", is a factor of attractiveness for the commune and a real vector of social link between its inhabitants.
• GAL du Pays d'Argentan, d'Auge et d'Ouche: acrobatic course of the Parcabout
  The Parcabout offers a tourist rebound to Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois. This village of less than 500 inhabitants is home to the remains of an ancient abbey and the commune wanted to expand and modernize its leisure centre. An exploratory mission carried out by students from the Tours School of Planning led to a proposal including an acrobatic course on nets between the trees: the Parcabout. The Region has supported this project via the LEADER programme to the tune of 20,309 euros.

Source: www.normandinamik.cci.fr