The ABD Grant Scheme is designed to support small projects in the cross-border regions related to income generation by improvement of production processes, technology and quality of products and services in various value chains (tourism, agriculture, etc). It supports partnerships of a cross-border character but also individual projects/businesses who have the potential of expanding and engaging into cross-border partnership in the near future. The focus is on sustainable business projects and partnerships who are in line with the local development strategies and considering important economic incentives.
In the course of 2017, the ABD Grant Scheme was supported under LEIWW programme and was implemented in ‘Drina-Tara’, ‘Drina-Sava’, ‘Prespa’ and ‘Sharra’ cross-border regions. The grants scheme was developed in line with the objectives of the LEIWW programme, supporting the development of short value chains for quality food products and rural tourist products and services through establishment of partnerships and focusing on innovation, with special focus on sustainable use of natural resources, women and young people. In total 54 beneficiaries and projects were supported with estimated grant funding of 389.224,38 EUR.
“ABD grant scheme” within LEIWW Programme is implemented by the SWG Head Office/ Secretariat on behalf of the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group within the project ”Rural development through integrated forest and water resources management (LEIWW)” implemented in partnership with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
