Roche leading the way in EU’s rural development

LEADER, the rural development programme, is one of the main avenues for European citizens to become involved in shaping their future.

That’s the view of Jack Roche, the new president of ELARD, the European LEADER Association for Rural Development, who has been elected to the post at a meeting in Brussels.

He takes over the leadership of the umbrella body for LEADER networks in 19 European Union member states at a crucial period as funding policies for the future of rural development are being debated.