New funding concepts - Saarland will strengthen the rural area
The Saarland state government aims to further promote sustainable rural development and provide new incentives for farmers. This was stated by Environment Minister Petra Berg (SPD) in reference to the over 300 villages that shape the land. More and more young people are being drawn back to the countryside to experience rural community. This special feeling must be preserved, and the attractiveness of these places increased.
In the past ten years, over 65 million Euros in funding from various programs have already been used to implement over 1350 projects, triggering total investments of nearly 110 million Euros. "A huge sum," said Berg.
As examples, she mentioned the support for Co-Working projects, an automated supermarket, or inclusive Olympia playgrounds: "Investments that truly make the villages more valuable and show people that their identification with them is important," according to Berg.
The land is not only focusing on quality of life and infrastructure, but also on local businesses. "We want to encourage people to be active with their own creative ideas," said the minister. The land will inform the districts and municipalities about the different funding opportunities through regional conferences in the second half of the year. These opportunities seem to be not yet widely known.
Beyond this, Agriculture Minister also aims to support agriculture more. For September, she announced a new funding guideline to promote regional marketing and networking of regional offers.
"By doing this, we not only safeguard local self-sufficiency, but also ensure that younger farm successors can invest in new technology," Berg said. In cooperation with the Tourism Center, an interactive digital database is being developed, which should provide a regional overview of farm stands, bakeries, or vending machines. The goal is to strengthen the visibility of local producers and at the same time draw attention to traditional customs.
According to Berg, the Youth Farmers Funding has also been increased to over one million Euros this year. 57% of this came from the state, with the rest from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. So far, there have been 18 applications for this.
Youth Farmers Funding in Saarland Rural Renewal and Rural Development
- Petra Berg, from the SPD in the Saarland state government, emphasized the importance of supporting sustainable rural development in the region, particularly in the over 300 villages.
- During her speech, Minister Berg highlighted several successful projects funded in the past decade, such as Co-Working spaces, Olympia-themed playgrounds, and automated supermarkets.
- Recognizing the need for local business growth, Berg mentioned the plans to inform districts and municipalities about various funding opportunities for innovative projects and encourage entrepreneurship in rural areas.
- In addition to her environmental focus, Agriculture Minister Berg also announced a new funding guideline to promote regional marketing and networking of local agricultural offers, supporting younger farm successors.
- To bolster the visibility of local producers and uphold traditional customs, Berg and the Tourism Center are collaborating on an interactive digital database, containing information about farm stands, bakeries, and vending machines in the Saarland region.
