LEADER – Evaluation Study

Since 2007, LEADER Measures have been implemented within the Austrian Agricultural Development Programme LE 07-13 in the context of “mainstreaming”. This meant that via LEADER, all measures of the rural development programmes 07-13 were eligible for subsidies. One of the objectives of the evaluation study was to provide a basis for assessing the implementation efficiency of the programme LE 07-13 regarding LEADER.

The study provides a comprehensive overview of the quality of the organizational structures and the implementation forms of the diverse tasks implied by the LAG managements in the rural development (LE) period 07-13. It also provides an overview of the target fulfillment of the local development strategies based on the approved and implemented projects.

In the course of a survey conducted among all 86 LAG managers, we analysed backdrops for the choice of organisational structures as well as their continuity during the funding period 2007-2013. We also examined and evaluated the management of the different tasks of the LAG managements as well as their cost structures.

We conducted a comparative assessment of the local development strategies (LES) submitted and those actually implemented. Prior to this, we evaluated all LES with regard to their “target quality”, since they were at times not very precise in defining their objectives.
The project was completed successfully in 2013.