Economic Development \ Economic activity and assistance \Rural Development Initiatives

The Rural Development Programme is an innovative approach by Government to addressing need in rural areas. Its principal aim is to stimulate the economic and social revitalisation of the most disadvantaged rural areas of Northern Ireland through partnership between the public, private and voluntary sectors.

There are three specific elements to the Rural Development Programme:

• Rural Community Development which aims to build capacity within local communities and to develop leadership and business and managerial ability in rural community groups.
• Area Based Strategies which aim to draw up strategies for geographically identified local areas which identify and develop responses to local need.
• Community-led Regeneration Projects which enable rural communities to implement schemes which revitalise the local economy and assist the cohesion and social inclusion of rural communities. These projects provide sustainable diversification of the rural economy and encourage the growth of private enterprise in rural areas.