RDPE in the South West

"The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), with environmental stewardship at its heart, aims to safeguard and enhance the rural environment, improve the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and foster competitive and sustainable rural businesses and thriving rural communities." (Defra, November 2007) 
 
The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) runs until 2013. Its aim is to support the creation of genuinely sustainable farming, forestry and food sectors, whilst also bringing wider benefits for the economy, the environment and rural communities.  
 
RDPE is funded jointly by the EU and Defra with a total national budget of £3.9bn. It has three priorities for rural development:

• Improving competitiveness of the agriculture and forestry sectors
• Improving the environment and the countryside
• Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of economic activity.

The main sources of funding and support for priority 2 are:

In this region, the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) will deliver priorities 1and 3 with a budget of £156.8 million over the seven years.  
 
The RDA is also responsible for ensuring that five per cent of the RDPE funding is spent on enabling community involvement in rural development. In this region Local Action Groups provide a great opportunity for community-led development.