Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 21 ISSUE 3
Written by Mihaela Felicia FLORESCU (STANCIU), Adrian TUREK RAHOVEANU

Over time, the LEADER Program has brought a number of positive changes to rural areas and has played an innovative role in addressing many of the problems facing the rural environment. Since its launch in 1991, the LEADER axis has sought to provide rural communities in the European Union with an effective method of involving local partners in guiding and managing the future development of the area covered by LAGs. The main aim of the paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of Local Action Groups at regional level for the sustainable development of rural areas through its actors: local communities, existing economic agents in the LAG, local public administrations or constituent members of the LAG, public and private. A series of methods were used such as: comparative analysis, both in terms of quantity and quality, as well as the method of the questionnaire applied to a number of 340 inhabitants in the LAG area "Vedea - Găvanu - Burdea". The implementation of the questionnaires resulted in a series of conclusions and recommendations aimed at increasing the income of the inhabitants of the LAG territory, as well as improving the quality of life, stabilizing it, as well as ways to make better use of local agricultural products. In the opinion of local actors, the LAG must continue to maintain the current line of evolution and capitalize on the rural, natural and ethno-cultural potential of the area, by developing and increasing added value, by innovative approach to tourism, agriculture, food industry and diversification. rural economies. Public administrations in the region covered by the LAG are of the opinion that the directions in which investments should be directed are public utility infrastructure. Another recommendation is to simplify bureaucracy, for most respondents the main obstacle to accessing European funds is bureaucracy.

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