Over 1k Rural Development Projects Implemented in 30 Years

This year marks 30 years since Luxembourg initiated its rural development policy; over the past three decades, the country has launched more than 1,000 projects in this field.

Luxembourg's Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, Romain Schneider, today presented the results of the past thirty years of action in the area of rural development at the cultural and societal centre "Duerfzenter Koler" in Kahler, located in south-western Luxembourg in the municipality of Garnich.

Indeed, the creation of this centre, as well as the adjacent "Kinoler" (Luxembourg's smallest cinema), is one of the most recent examples of innovative and integrated rural development in the Grand Duchy. The idea of ​​this meeting centre and local cinema emerged from participatory exchanges with citizens in the framework of the municipal development plan (PDC). Launched thanks to co-financing by the EU's LEADER ("Links between actions for the development of the rural economy") initiative, the project now operates in its own right owing to self-management by Kahler residents and film buffs.

Romain Schneider reflected on some of the other flagship projects of the last 30 years: "More than a thousand projects have been implemented by respecting participatory exchanges, the spirit of cooperation, innovation and integrated multisectoral approaches! Many of the residents involved have gained added value, like the Kinoler we visited today".

In total, the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development has co-financed 82 municipal development plans to the amount of about €6 million.  The projects have been developed with citizens' exchanges in mind, in a participatory approach of integrated municipal planning. Through traditional rural development instruments, 509 projects were carried out mainly in partnership with rural municipalities with a budget of €84 million (including €27 million co-financed by the Ministry).

For its part, the European LEADER initiative has co-financed some 528 projects in five regions, totaling €45 million (including EU, State, municipalities and private project partners). LEADER has been an integral part of the national rural development policy since 1991.

At the international level, the Ministry has presented integrated rural development projects that have been successfully supported in the European "Europäischer Dorferneuerungspreis" competition among more than 35 other rural regions in Europe. In 1996, the municipality of Beckerich won this contest.

Minister Schneider summarised: "Investing in rural development is a political priority. 82% of Luxembourg's territory is rural, and 38% of our residents live there. To maintain social cohesion, we must create new jobs and support social, cultural and economic initiatives to benefit society and strengthen rural identity". He added: "The next programming period 2021-2027 is also in the development phase".

To celebrate 30 years of rural development policy, the Ministry is organising a party gathering all local and regional players, on 16 October 2019.