Romanian president greenlights “Life in the Countryside” program promoting rural areas
President Nicușor Dan promulgated the law establishing the "Life in the Countryside” national program on Monday, July 13. The initiative seeks to promote and capitalize on the cultural, traditional, and natural heritage of Romania’s rural areas.
The program is meant to support peasant households in presenting rural activities carried out on their own farms. The participation of peasant households in the program is based on a registration declaration submitted to the local town hall and on a certificate of producer of rural activities issued by the town hall, according to Digi24.
Agricultural and handicraft activities, traditional customs, and activities for learning about natural ecosystems are eligible for support. A list of these will be centralized in a platform operated by the Ministry of Agriculture. The operationalization and administration of the platform will be carried out by a private operator designated through a public tender by the institution.
The sums paid by visitors to these sites will also be collected through the platform, from which the operator’s commission will be withheld, and the difference will be transferred to the beneficiaries enrolled in the program.
The state supports participating peasant households by preparing best practice guides for the promotion of agricultural activities, providing free training courses on presenting traditional agricultural practices and protecting the environment, and offering funding programs for courses on the conservation of traditional ecosystems and the cultural and social resilience of rural areas.
According to senator Ion Marcel Vela, the new program can become a driver of development for rural communities. “It is a law with a positive impact on local and state budgets, with advantages for Mountain Banat and the entire rural area. It will develop the HoReCa industry, preserve the national heritage, and contribute to creating a country brand for this tourism segment, which is growing throughout Europe,” Ion Marcel Vela said on Facebook.
He added that the next step is to encourage peasant households to enroll in the program and take advantage of the opportunities offered.
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