Rural Development Initiative FLAG

Official name:

Stowarzyszenie “WIR” – Wiejska Inicjatywa Rozwoju

Country:

Poland

Region:

West Pomerania

Code:

PL208

Programming period:

2014-2020

Area

The FLAG is located in Western Pomerania close to the cities of Szczecin and Stargard as well as to the German border. Agriculture dominates the area, but there is also fish farming and lake fishing. There are ten fish farms producing mainly carp, two businesses active in lake fishing, as well as two fish processing plants.

The key challenge is high unemployment, especially among young people and persons over 50, combined with a lack of professional counselling services for the unemployed. The area’s development potential in tourism and agro-processing is not fully utilised. The FLAG identifies two key issues for the fisheries sector:

damages caused by poaching and predators (cormorants
the economic uncertainly of lake fishing.

Type of area:

Inland
Rural

Sea Basins:

Rivers and Lakes

Protected areas:

Protected areas cover 0.31% of the FLAG (64 000 ha). There are several natural reserves and two landscape parks.

Population

84 361

Surface area (km²)

2 094

Population density

Total employment in fisheries

Fishing:

Aquaculture:

Processing:

Women employment in fisheries:

FLAG strategy

The FLAG would like to maintain local heritage and strengthen social capital, while developing businesses and creating jobs, especially for farmers, fishermen, people under 25 and over 50. It intends to support projects focusing on:

Diversification of incomes in production and services (non-agricultural and non-fisheries)
Provision of advisory services to employees, fishermen and farmers, as well as training for people over 50 (including women) and under 25
Activities to protect fisheries from poaching
Joint promotion of the area
Water-based tourism, especially around the lake of Miedwie, including infrastructural investments
Raising environmental awareness and investing in renewable energies
Social infrastructure and organisation of events helping to integrate the local community

Themes:

Objective:

Supporting diversification

Priority:

% of the budget allocated:

50%

Enhancing and capitalising on the environmental assets

11%

Promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage

39%

Funding

Total public budget allocated to the FLAG for 2014-2020:

919 784

EMFF:

781 816
MS co-financing:

137 968
Sources of co-funding:

National
Multi-funding:

The strategy is also co-financed from the EAFRD (over €3 million) which is the Lead Fund and which will finance rural entrepreneurship, local heritage, investments in non-commercial infrastructure for tourism, recreation, and culture.
Funds:

EAFRD

Project examples

Supporting businesses development in various economic sectors
Developing publicly accessible infrastructure linked to fisheries activities
Combatting poaching
Promotion project related to the area historically linked with fisheries: “The Wealth of our Lakes”

Calls for proposals

There will be calls for projects, the timetable for these is available on the FLAG website.

Expertise & cooperation

The FLAG has experience in implementing small-scale projects in rural areas with the involvement of the local community
The FLAG is interested in exchanging experience and good practices, especially with other inland fishing areas
“The Wealth of our Lakes” is a project that will focus on the joint promotion of fisheries areas involving three Polish FLAGs from Western Pomerania. It will include the exchange of good practices financed from the previous period, presentation of the fisheries sector (together with the Polish Anglers’ Association), organisation of events and competitions, promotion of fish consumption with recipes etc.

Budget envisaged for cooperation:

18000.00

Links with LEADER or other CLLD groups

The FLAG is also a LEADER LAG and its strategy is financed from EAFRD and EMFF. It cooperates closely with other LAGs and FLAGs in the region of Western Pomerania.

Partnership

Accountable body:

Stowarzyszenie 'WIR'- Wiejska Inicjatywa Rozwoju

Members of the partnership:

The public sector is represented by the 14 municipalities, Pyrzyce county administration, public libraries and culture clubs. Various local associations represent the social sector. From the business sector, there are several SMEs, fish farms and the Szczecin branch of the Polish Anglers’ Association.

Number of individuals/organisations in partnership/general assembly:

141

% of fisheries actors:

% of other (non-fisheries) private / NGO sector actors:

75%

% of environmental actors:

Number of individuals on main decision-making body/board:

% of public actors:

23%

Number of contracted staff in FLAG:

4,00

Visuals

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English