Applications to take part in the LEADER Program, call II, will be accepted between January 15 and February 23. Local Action Groups (LAGs) will be selected and local development strategies for obtaining financing from the National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development will be approved, IPN reports.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry said the call for proposals is intended for Local Action Groups That operate in accordance with the principles of the LEADER approach and have a local development strategy approved by the general assembly of the LAG.

The annual allocation for local development through the implementation of the LEADER Program constitutes up to 5% of the National Fund for Agricultural and Rural Development.

The LEADER approach is implemented in a territory consisting of a number of neighboring localities that have common local resources and potential and want to work together for local development. The Local Action Group is an institutionalized local partnership. LAG members are organizations, institutions, local leaders – representatives of the public, entrepreneurial and civic sectors, who together manage local development processes.