Abel Losada highlights the Government’s effort to bring European funds to rural areas

The subdelegate of the Government in Pontevedra, Abel Losada, welcomed the commitment of the Government of Pedro Sánchez to also bring European funds to rural territory within the framework of the National Strategy against the Demographic Challenge. “It is the first time that there is a state strategy for the rural and the first time that it is provided with funds,” he explained during his speech at the closing of the Seminar on the Implementation of the new Leader Strategies 2023-2027, which was held this morning in the city of Las Nieves. The seminar, organized by the State Network for Rural Development (REDER), was attended by representatives of rural associations from all over Spain.
Losada gave as an example of this government effort the UN-Broadband plan, “which is a huge effort to carry the optical fiber where it would never arrive by simple commercial criteria of the operators and that closes gaps of inequality and opens up job possibilities in places previously unthinkable”. He also exemplified this commitment in the DUS5000 funds that meant the distribution of almost 25 million euros “in about 60 projects that were translated into works that would otherwise be unaffordable by the municipalities”.
The subdelegate pointed out that the REDER plays a crucial role for rural people to be present in public policies, stressing that its true spirit is that of a network of people who join Local Action Groups or Rural Development Groups so that life opportunities in the territory are not linked only to emigration to urban environments. “We talk about fighting the abandonment of the rural, we talk about not losing a lifestyle more attached to the land and our own essence,” he added.
In this line he appealed to the need to “work for rural areas from the rural, with policies and public funds”, affirming that the European Leader program for the period 2023-2027 is going to be “a unique opportunity to finance projects not only for municipalities, but also for the neighborhood and for people who start a business or for those who have a company and, in addition, an idea”. “We have a huge challenge ahead of us, the Leader 2023-2027 is an opportunity to continue tackling it, let us take advantage of it,” he concluded.
No framework of the seminar promoted by the State Network for Rural Development (REDER), which has the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, a panel with successful experiences and two workshops on presentation of strategies and on the importance of taking advantage of this new Leader window in Galicia was exhibited.
The day, which hosted several workshops and discussion tables, was attended by the president of REDER, Andrés García Moro, the president of the GDR, #José Antonio Santiso Miramontes, and the mayor of As Neves, José Manuel Alfonso, as well as leaders of rural groups from different parts of Spain.