Contribution of Leader Community Initiative to People’s Quality of Life: A Case of Thirty Years Application in Rural Spain

Moreno Francisco José Gallego (), Flores José Alvaro Hernández (), Díaz-Puente José-María () and Bettoni Maddalena ()
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Moreno Francisco José Gallego: Ph.D., Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
Flores José Alvaro Hernández: Ph.D., Centro de Estudios Demográficos, Urbanos y Ambientales. El Colegio de México A.C., Ciudad de México, México
Díaz-Puente José-María: Ph.D. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Bettoni Maddalena: M.Sc., Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

European Countryside, 2024, vol. 16, issue 2, 183-203

Abstract: LEADER development programs have a primary objective of enhancing the quality of life. However, their evaluation has been limited due to the extensive time required for analysis. This report investigates the contribution of the LEADER approach to improving the quality of life through a thirty-year case study in the Alcarria Conquense region of Spain (1991-2021). Funding for projects focused on rural heritage, infrastructure, and essential services has played a pivotal role in creating conditions for a prosperous life in the region. Nonetheless, limitations have emerged, including deepening territorial imbalances, a heavy reliance on local government entities, and potential drawbacks to the innovation and management capacity of other economic and social actors. While LEADER offer a valuable tool for policymakers seeking to enhance rural communities' quality of life, further analysis is necessary to refine their implementation and maximize their overall impact.

Keywords: services for the population; enhancement of heritage; proximity services; depopulation; territorial approach; LEADER program; Spain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:eurcou:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:183-203:n:1001

DOI: 10.2478/euco-2024-0011

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