We received our start notice from the Swedish Board of Agriculture on March 17, 2023, and by December 31, 2027, we should have utilized our allocated budget in a wise and creative way that benefits collaborative measures for the rural economy.
Now the worldview is different and in several cases darker than when we developed the strategy we will base our actions on, and one might ask if it is reasonable to spend taxpayer money on meeting places, hiking trails, theater, and other non-essential measures? I want to respond with a resounding ”yes.”.
The best and the difficult part of LEADER!
If the crisis comes we need each other and we need each other's knowledge and skills. Today we built a small art hall together, learned from each other how to cultivate in a small space and saved dilapidated, unloved houses. Tomorrow that knowledge and those networks may be crucial for how we get through serious crises. Regardless of what the future brings, we are creating attractive housing together, a shared vision of our resources, and learning to communicate in a constructive way.
The best thing about LEADER is that small ideas and local initiatives can become a whole that contributes to a vibrant countryside. The difficult part of LEADER is getting creative idea generators to fit their idea into a very bureaucratic system. But it is worth it because in LEADER, the journey is what makes it worthwhile.
Ann-Charlotte Thörnblad, operations manager
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