The LEADER Programme (LEADER – Liaison Entre Actions de Dévelopement de l’Économie Rurale) was established in 1991 and is financed through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). It was introduced locally in the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP). The main objectives of the programme are:
- To support small-scale community projects which are innovative in nature.
- To increase capacity of local rural community and business networks to build knowledge and skills.
- To encourage innovation and cooperation to tackle local development objectives.
Locally, there are three territories each covering several localities, with each territory having its own Local Action Group (LAG) which manages LEADER funding for its respective territory. For each territory, the funding priorities are listed in a Local Development Strategy
