Brussels, 28/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 21 November, the European Commission adopted a European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) amounting to €10 million in favour of Algeria. The aim is to support the Algerian government's strategy for rural development and sustainable economic diversification.
The Commission states that the political ambition is to increase production and output of basic products but also to promote renewed interest in traditional products that are today ignored by urban consumers.
ENPARD will allow “proximity projects of integrated rural development” (PPDRI) in four pilot wilayas (governorships) where it will support the promotion of local food, craft, cultural and tourist products and better quality marketing as well as programmes to exchange lessons learned.
The Commission states that the programme is the second part of the EU action programme 2013 in favour of Algeria. A programme to support local development and social action was decided in August this year, with a budget of €20 million. End 2012, €35 million had been allocated to a programme for supporting the implementation of the association agreement (P3A III). (FB/transl.jl)