NRN INFORMATION

The Dutch Rural Network

The Dutch National Rural Network (NRN) supports people and organisations that are committed to promoting a strong and attractive countryside in the Netherlands. It has been fully operational since October 2007.

A consortium of five organisations has been contracted by the Managing Authority (MA), the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality, to run the Network Support Unit (NSU). Three of these organisations are involved in the NSU’s core management and network facilitation team. The remaining two provide thematic support, as and when required.

The NSU provides a necessary platform for different parties to share knowledge and experience and to identify and promote promising development initiatives. Its mission includes: strengthening local development; creating thematic links between beneficiaries of the four programming axes; creating opportunities to exchange good and bad project practices and experiences in rural development; and supporting cooperation.

Network Participants

The network is characterised by an informal membership open to public sector, stakeholder organisations and individuals.The network thus represents both the private and public sectors and involves: LEADER groups; other formalised area-based groups; theme specific groups (involved in the combination of farming, nature, recreation, rural reconstruction or national parks); regional or village-level committees of inhabitants; and various private sector initiatives, mainly involved in economic development.

Read more about the organisational structure of the Network [PDF ]

NRN Activities

The NRN’s work programme includes the identification, analysis and dissemination of good (or best) practices, the organisation of workshops, conferences and study meetings, the provision of advisory and research services, the study of the RDP implementation with a particular attention to bottlenecks analysis, and the maintenance of information tools like their website and their publications.

Beyond the support and provision of inputs for actors across axes, the NRN prioritises skills development and capacity building, including the promotion of collaboration between rural actors. In addition, the network provides technical support for interregional and transnational cooperation.

Read more about the main Priorities and Activities of the Network [PDF ]

Activities with other Networks/Countries

• Contributed to the Relevant Experience Pilot initiative

The Network in 2014-2020 programming period

See details in the ‘NRN Mapping Report – NRNs in Transition’ (2014) [PDF ]