Rural isolation of citizens in Croatia

Marina Koprivnjak

Sofia, 7th May 2015

HMRR

Croatian Rural Development Network - HMRR is a civil sector network:

33 members (14 CSOs +19 LAGs)

Making the voice of rural communities better heard

Encouraging contribution of civil society to RD

Linking together member organizations with other stakeholders in RD through networking, partnership and gatherings

HMRR's areas of activity

Advocating interests of rural stakeholders in creating and implementing public policies

Networking and informing members and stakeholders about RD

Education, exchange of knowledge and experiences

Organisation development

Territory: 56.594 km2

Population: 4.284.889Low population density: 75,7Total number of settlements: 6.756Only 3 settlements > 100.000 inhabitantsTotal number of local self-government units

(towns and municipalities): 556

Croatia is a rural country:

2012: Croatia's land area - 79,1 % predominantly

rural and 19.8% intermediate56.7% of the population lived in predominantly

rural regions

RDP 2014-2020:The whole territory of Croatia with the

exclusion of the administrative centers of four cities

75.08% of total population99.24% of total territory

Priority problems in rural areas:

Low employment rate Growing development lag between urban and

rural areasWeak local communitiesLack of capacities for change

Development challenges in rural areas

Negative demographic trends Abandoning and neglecting agricultural landPressure from urban and infrastructural

systemsLoss of traditional settlement structures and

landscapesLow level of services and standard of livingLoss of knowledge and capacities ...

A possible response:

Importance of the RD policy

Humble experiences, started developing them within the accession process still learning

Statistical data are incomplete, we need new statistical evidence to mark situation and trends in rural Croatia

Ministry of Agriculture as the competent body needs a broad and efficient cooperation

LEADER - what is that?

A bottom-up approach based on local characteristics and resources

Local actors can develop an area by using its development potential

Initiative - pilot-approach -

RD policy method

Supported from the EAFRD

(“Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale” = “Links between the rural economy and development actions”)

LAG - local action group

Local public-private partnershipRepresentatives of all sectors willing to define

and to realise the vision of a better future for their sub-region

Bringing together local stakeholders and encouraging their common action

Local sustainable development strategy based on conditions and characteristics of the local area

LEADER in Croatia

2009: first LAG Gorski kotar (NGO) CSOs had the initial role in encouraging LAGs’

creation

Basic data (61 LAGs):512 or 92% of local self-government units50.193 km2 or 89% of total territory2.246.053 inhabitants or 52% of total populationdensity: 44,75 inhabitants per km2

Volunteering in Croatia

LAGs - volunteering orientedLaw on Volunteering (2007)Croatian network of volunteer centres

Basic data (2005):positive attitude about volunteering10,8% of citizens did volunteer work in last 12

months3,8 % of citizens did volunteer work al least once

a month or more

Perspective of volunteering in Croatia

Certificate of competence gained through volunteering

Volunteering in LAGs - opportunity for personal and professional growth

Volunteering in general - new skills, knowledge, competence in the labor market

Thank you!HRVATSKA MREŽA ZA RURALNI RAZVOJ

CROATIAN RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

Lj. Posavskog 2

10000 Zagreb

tel. +385 (0)1/ 46 55 203

fax +385 (0)1/ 46 55 200

E-mail: koordinator@hmrr.hr

Web: www.hmrr.hr

Facebook: Hrvatska.mreza.za.ruralni.razvoj