10th NRN meeting in Edinburgh
The 10th meeting of National Rural Networks (NRN) was held on 23-25 September 2010 in Edinburgh (Scotland). The meeting focused on three thematic initiatives (organic farming, agricultural policy, and entrepreneurship in rural areas) as well as on the initiative of the European Network for Rural Development (EN RD) concerning monitoring and reporting of national networks. The day before the Network meeting, a conference was organised by the Scottish National Rural Network – the EU Rural Cooperation Fair. During the meeting, participants discussed progress made in implementing the reporting system of the European Network – Project Information and Knowledge Sharing Exchange (PIKSE). The agenda included the presentation of the achievements of, and best practice under the National Rural Network in Poland. The information was presented by Michał Marciniak from the NRN Central Secretariat.
“In the framework of the Polish National Rural Network, we cooperate with 1,380 Network partners. Over 330 Local Action Groups operating in Poland build social capital essential for the development of rural areas. The National Rural Network, properly linked with the European network, has become an instrument for exchanging good practice and strengthening the coordination between and complementarity of initiatives for the development of rural areas under the Common Agricultural Policy and cohesion policy, as well as between the policies,” said Michał Marciniak in his speech.
During the meeting Michał Marciniak Director of the Rural Development Department (National Network Unit ) presented the achievements and best practices in frame of the National Rural Network in Poland. read
A map of Poland presenting the area of operation of Local Action Groups, prepared specifically for the event, was very popular among conference attendants. The document in English and in Polish is available from the National Rural Network’s website.
In the framework of promoting the basic Network communication tools, the most recent edition of the NRN Bulletin published by the NRN Central Secretariat was distributed among conference participants. In relation to the Polish presentation of NRN results, the subsequent edition of Rur@l News (published by EN RD) will cover information on Polish agriculture and on rural development in Poland. The current edition of Rur@l News in Polish is available here.
During the meeting in Edinburgh, the NRN was represented by Michał Marciniak, Director of the Department of Rural Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, NRN Central Secretariat, and Marcin Adamczyk, Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów (NRN partner) www.cdr.gov.pl.The previous 9th meeting of National Networks was held in Malta in June 2010.
