| Abstract [eng] |
This Master degree thesis analyses the implementation and prospect of the LEADER programme in Akmene’s district. The first part of the thesis examines the insights of Lithuanian and foreign authors into the evolution of rural development policy, the scientific definitions of rural development, and the concept of LEADER programme by highlighting the key elements of the LEADER approach, the implementation of the LEADER programme in the EU and Lithuania and the evaluation aspects of Lithuanian LAG. The empirical part of this thesis analyses the implementation and prospects of the LEADER programme in Akmene’s district from 2007 to 2013. The objects of the analysis are as follows: the local development strategy in Akmene’s district, the reports of Akmene’s district local action group, proceeding reports, the project reports of Akmene’s District local action group. Based on the evaluation methodology of the LAG, the success factors of the LAG were organized into a system of indicators that allows us to quantify the work done in the LAG. In order to evaluate the overall activities of the LAG these factors were grouped into three categories: stock of the LAG resources in Akmene’s district, the process of their use and the achieved work results. One more qualitative data collection method – semi-structured interviews with informants and unstructured interviews with experts – was used to deepen the received results. During the interview it was ascertained the opinion of the informants about the implementation of the LEADER programme for the period from 2007 to 2013, its development vista for the period from 2014 to 2020 and local development strategies. The unstructured expert interviews were accomplished to refine the LAG functions which ensure the successful implementation of the LEADER programme and the potential for improvement for the period from 2014 to 2020. The LAG functions were defined during the interview which ensures the successful implementation and improvement trends of the LEADER programme for the period from 2014 to 2020. The hypothetical model of the LEADER perspectives in Akmene’s district for the period from 2014 to 2020 was prepared on the basis of the analysis of the LEADER programme’s implementation from 2007 to 2013 in Akmene’s district and the analysis of the informants’ and expert attitudes. |
