Benefits of a participatory approach in rural areas, empowering local people to participate in the development of their own communities, is one of the priorities of our work. Establishing strong and sustainable rural networks facilitates cooperation among relevant key actors and further enhances this important process. Online platform of the network makes valuable contribution to rural development by increasing awareness about the state policy and improving its implementation.
Rural development networking is about coming together, developing new ways of thinking and operating, and building something new together; something that is bigger than the sum of its individual parts; and something that benefits rural communities everywhere. The network facilitates exchange and learning between partners and stakeholders involved in Rural Development policy implementation: public authorities, economic and social partners, civil society and community groups. By showing human stories behind numbers, GRDN aims to increase awareness on rural development policies and explain their impact on rural communities.
National Rural (Common Agriculture Policy - CAP) Networks operate in each EU Member State and some candidate countries to support and enhance rural development objectives. They disseminate information on rural development, facilitate networking and innovative solutions, and work to strengthen the skills needed for the successful implementation of rural development programmes and policies.