A midterm review of the results obtained in the Axis One from the Romanian rural development programme

Abstract

The paper investigates the results obtained after implementing the Rural Development Programme in Romania between January 2008 and December 2010. It is a mid-term review of four measures from axis 1 of the programme: setting up the young farmers; modernisation of the agricultural holdings; adding value to agricultural and forestry products and supporting the semi - subsistence agricultural holdings. The value of the financing projects shows that the rate of the engaged funds are still low especially for the measure that supports the young farmers to setting up in agriculture (35% from the available budget). For the other the rate oscillates between 54% and 60%. Moreover a regional funds allocation analysis was conducted, based upon the impact hierarchical indicators and evaluation questions method. It shows that the North Eastern Romanian development region attracted the lowest level of funds for all the measures as compared to its agricultural potential. On the other hand the Western and the North Western development regions attracted the most important funds as reported to their agricultural resources. A clear correlation was revealed between the development region’s standard of living and the volume of attracted funds. For the future, the programme should be better correlated to the region’s agricultural potential. In the same time, there should be envisaged measures to support farmers from the least developed regions to attract no refundable funds.