“Straightening rural social capital and networks”

2008/2009

The project is funded by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Romanian Official Development Assistance 

KEY FACTS RURAL SRBIA :-Poverty rate reduced from 14% to 6.6%, but remains twice as high in rural areas (9.8%).-85% of Serbia's territory is rural, as well as 55% of population and 41% of GDP.-Roughly 75% of the rural population is engaged in subsistence agricultural production (75%), with only an estimated 20% producing for markets.-While official unemployment is 18%, in many rural regions it approaches 25%. -49. 7% older than 45 years .

Brief description of the project

The project is a result of Government of Republic of Serbia's initiative to support the development of rural areas, especially in the Banat region of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Mobilization of rural social capital and increased participatory efforts of targeted communities will directly enhance the existing living standard in rural areas. The partnership strategy will be demonstrated through support of the Local Action Groups located in the targeted sub-regions and municipalities, and through capacity development for more sustainable implementation of the local rural development initiatives .

Implementing Partners: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management (MAFWM) and Provincial Secretariat of Agriculture, Water Economy and Forestry of Vojvodina.

Selected municipalities of Vojvodina by Provincial Secretariat for initial intervention :Alibunar, Žitište, Mali Idjoš, Čoka, and Irig .

Outputs

• Supported existing and emerging rural networks in the process of applying for available project funding.

• Mobilization of rural social capital and community participatory efforts that would promote rural development activities.

• Initiated Local Action Groups (LAG) and LEADER method approach is supported through trainings.

First Steps

After identification of key stakeholders in each municipality semi conducted interviews and training need assessment questioners we decide to go further with :

Recommendations for LEADER and LAG development in Serbia .- Prof .Natalija Bogdanov Phd

-Draft development program 2009/2010 for the National rural development network of the Republic of Serbia. - Suzana Milosevic Djordjevic PhD

UNDP –ICDT –GFA Partnership

Lecturers on the event Roxana Florescu, Foundation PACT, Romania Experience in the establishment of LAG in Romania Kiril Kiryakov EC ,Experience in Establishing Local Action Groups in Bulgaria Bogo Filipic ,BSC Business Support Centre Kranj –Slovenia LEADER and Rural TourismMarta Marczis -Rural Development Foundation Hungary/ UNDP RBECJudit Tothne , LAG manager Volgy –videk LEADER community Sandor Coles -International Centre for Democratic Transition /HugaryUrszula Budzich-Szukala Cooperation Fund Poland / Polish Rural Forum BoardHalina Siemaszko-Executive Director of the Center for Business Promotion & Entrepreneurship in Sandomierz (Southeast Poland)Natalija Bogdanov Serbian key expert in area of rural development

Regional Conference on Rural Development through Establishment of Local Action Groups, held on 12 November 2008, in Novi Sad.

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Financial Planning in rural development Lecturers: Milos Todorovic andEvica Petrovic

27 Participants

Participant learns about:

-What is financial planning -How to recognize potentially good business case in rural economy -Key elements of business plan -When and why client need business plan-Basic elements in Business analysis-What is most important facts before taking the credits-How credit works-Basic financial analysis in evaluating the project proposals

Training of Trainers on LEADER Approach and Methodology with Special Focus on Local Planning and Local Action Group UNDP-ICDT

25 Participants :LAG coordinators, representatives of National rural development network from whole Serbia

Lecturers:Marta Marczis, Regional and Local Development Councilor, UNDP Bratislava,Kjell Roger KARLSSON, Senior Advisor, ICDT ,Erika Bodnar, regional coordinator, MARD Rural Development,Participant learns about:Evolution of EU Rural Policy highlighting the new policy 2007 – 2013The LEADER-approach in the Serbian context ,Approaches to Sustainable Local Development (SLD) – the scope to Integrated Rural Development, Integration through area-based program - the fourth important “cross-cutting” Axis, the LEADER – approach,How do LEADER and LEADER-type program work in practice? ….

But also about The necessary steps in elaborating Local Action Plan (LAP);Strategies, objectives, priorities, measures –how to differ key structures of local planning?, Local planning - The composition of LAGs and responsibilities

As a new member of the EU, Romania’s experiences in making structural adjustments to their agricultural and rural sectors through the implementation of SAPARD (now collectively known as IPAs) funded initiatives proved a useful lesson for the Serbian delegation.

Study tour to Romania

Project cycle management trainings

77 lecturers on five trainingsLecturers : Slađana Milošević , Bojan Djuric , Boban Ilik

On trainings participants learn about :Project definition, Introduction to project cycle management, Stakeholder mapping and analysis, Write list of aims,Plan of Activities and Sustainability ,Work Breakdown Structure (WBS Indicators, Risk and assumptions, Problems and objective assessments, Approach through analysis Logical Framework, Matrix of Logical Framework analysis ,Aims(logic of the intervention).Preparing the logical framework, Monitoring and evaluation ,Appraise the logical framework, Resources, budget. Writing plan of recourses and preparation of Budget, Introduction to Project proposal form (PPF),Fulfill Project proposal form.

25 Experts visits with mentoring for how fulfill Project proposal form independently.

-Eligibility criteria's developed . -The expert commission for Small Grants formed .-The Expert commission review and comment all 13 submitted PPF and return for proponents . -13 new PPF in EU format now with increased quality will be soon ready for submission CBC call for proposals. -The commission also score initial project activities according scoring list announced before call for proposals.

Project proposals in CBC format

TO LINK TRAININGS WITH PRACTICAL EXPIRIENCES WE NEED TO ASK MFA ROMANIA FOR NON COST EXTENSION AND REVISION OF THE BUDGET . AND AFTER THE APRROVAL :

7 Grants are approved for financing

1.Project: “HEALTHY LIVING, EASY STEPPING’’ –Torak Zitiste Municipality

The first preparatory activity will be education of children and adults, including printing of educational and promotional materials and the fliers inviting the participants. The introductory phase of the project includes education of adults through organization of a seminar titled ’’Environment Protection’’ with participation of expert lecturers, and education of children. Another planned activity is organization of ’’Games Without Frontiers’’ to promote healthy lifestyles and return to nature. The initial phase of this activity includes printing of materials (t-shirts, caps, tables, diplomas, awards of merit, awards, banners...). ’’Games Without Frontiers’’ will be organized at the municipal level, with participation of students from all schools in the municipality (2nd to 8th grade), accompanied by teachers-instructors. Each team will have 24 members (22+2). There will 10 teams, 9 from the municipal schools and 1 guest team from the primary school in Resica, Romania. Other guests will come from the primary school in Hetine and Association of Ecologists ’’Eko+’’ from Bela Crkva. ’’Games Without Frontiers” are organized as a daily program of socialization around 10 games, some of which require certain props. Transport and accommodation are provided for the quests from Romania. The location planned for organization of “Games Without Frontiers” is the schoolyard of the Primary School ’’Đorđe Košbuk’’ in Torak, as well as the sports field in the center of Torak. Along with the organizational activities a procedure shall be launched for procurement of the necessary technical documentation and production of construction design for the ecological schoolyard.

Grants

2.Project: Commercialization of rural products of Deliblatska peščara sands “Days of forest honey, plants and fruit” (Municipality Alibunar )3 workshops (honey, plants and fruit: optimal use of the natural resources, their protection and increase of value)Research of target markets – end users, distributors and producers of honey, plants and fruit of Deliblatska peščara sandsPlans for promotion (marketing mix), production and marketing of rural products of Deliblatska peščara sands: honey, plants, fruit (Adding value to local products and services, especially through collective actions that will facilitate access to markets)Web-site in three languages: Deliblatska peščara sands: flavors and scents (in English, Serbian and Romanian) – Application of new knowledge, skills and technologies for improved competitiveness of the products and services from rural areas. Advertising through local radio and TV stations in the region - Application of new knowledge, skills and technologies for improved competitiveness of the products and services from rural areas. Printed advertising materialsStudy trips for representatives of all three groups (plants, honey, fruit) to appropriate LAG in one of the EU countries that has established cooperation with the municipality of Alibunar in realization of transboundary projects.Festival of honey, plants and fruit - Deliblatska peščara 2009

3.Project: Banat Green Energy (Municipality Coka) Production of a database of public buildings and farms (Establishing the number of buildings)Production of power consumption presentation sheets (Establishing the costs at the local community level)Organization of meetings for promotion of renewable sources of energy (Raising awareness regarding RSE use and possible savings)Production of a feasibility study for renewable sources of energy (Raising awareness and stimulation of interest in RSE)Production of a bill of quantities for energy efficiency (Raising awareness among local decision-makers regarding possible savings and effects) 4.Project: ORGANIZATION OF BIRD WATCHING AND TAGGING CAMP (Municipality Coka) Preparation and organization of the camp (Securing quality and timely dissemination of information to the camp visitors, efficient realization of planned activities, expert services and necessary logistics)Production and printing of promotional materials (Preparation of the materials to be distributed among the camp participants)Realization of the bird watching and tagging camp (establishment and strengthening of cooperation among the stakeholders in the region, follow-up activities and preparation of realistic foundations for generation of income from this type of tourism)

Grants

5.Project: PREPARATION FOR SET-UP OF THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSTICS CENTER (Municipality Mali Idjos) Education of teachers from three primary schools in the territory of Mali Iđoš in the area of inclusive tuition work methods (matching the individual needs and abilities of children).Setting an indexWork with persons with special needs within the framework of regular school Work with persons suffering from behavior disordersRoma children at schoolTraining of the NGO sector volunteers, i.e. members of the Women Forum in Mali Iđoš, to organize a survey and collect data for a database to be used in differential diagnostics.A study trip to Budapest to visit an educational institution that has applied the principles of inclusive tuition in its operation (familiarization with the EU standards in the area of education).Development of a program of work for the Differential Diagnostics Center in Mali Iđoš through counseling with experts from special schools in Novi Sad and Budapest.

Grants

6.Project : Study trips to Slovenia and Croatia (Municipality Irig) Establishment of contact and cooperation with the region to be visitedA four day working visit to the selected regionCollection of data and summing up of the results

7.Project: Training of prospective instructors for the souvenir manufacturing school (Municipality Irig) Visits to the existing souvenir manufacturing schools in the region (Discussing possibilities for partnership, seeking out best practice examples, execution of contracts with instructors and moderators)

Presentation of the school and future employment possibilities (Animation and motivation of possible candidates for instructors and presentation of employment possibilities)Selection of candidates for prospective instructors-moderators (10 persons)Production of certificates to be awarded after completed training for teaching and instruction in the area of souvenir manufacturing (Provision of preliminary conditions for the instructors to teach and impart the knowledge and skills needed for manufacturing of souvenirs)

Grants

Still to come:

-Final phase in the implementation of the grants.

-Forum related with rural planning where project results will be also presented.

-Indentifying expert group for rural development.

-Publication about achievements of the project will be published.

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-The process of planning needs to be considered as an integral activity.

-Role and Support of Rural Development Network (RDN) should include additional participatory planning activities .

-Commitment on RD multi-annual financing .

-Trainings and education need to be based on well-designed and innovative approaches .

-Intervention to ward rural development need to include more economic analysis.

-Partnerships are essential in rural development ( other UNDP Serbia studies confirms that – several studies about cooperatives .

LESSONS LEARNED TILL KNOW