agriregionieuropa The “Rural-Sensitive Evaluation Model” for evaluation of local governments’ sensitivity to rural issues in Serbia Milic B. B.1, Bogdanov N.2, Heijman W.1 1 Wageningen AgriculturalUniversity / Department of Social Sciences, Economic of Consumers and Household Groups, Wageningen, Netherlands 2 Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade / Department of agricultural economy, Belgrade, Serbia 122 nd European Association of Agricultural Economists Seminar Evidence-Based Agricultural and Rural Policy Making Methodological and Empirical Challenges of Policy Evaluation February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) associazioneAlessandroBartola studi e ricerche di economia e di politica agraria Centro Studi Sulle Politiche Economiche, Rurali e Ambientali Università Politecnica delle Marche

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) 1. INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES 2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 3. CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE RSEM 4. THE SCORING SYSTEM IN THE MRSI 5. THE METHODS OF RSEM’s USE 6. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 7. CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES LIST OF CONTENTS

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVES The paper hypothesis: “If the problems of rural communities and the actions taken by local decision makers to resolve these problems are identified, than rural “welfare” will be improved”. Focus of the paper: Depiction of the methodology for assessing how municipal administration works to promote wider rural development objectives - “RSEM”. 1. What is the RSEM? A new, specific way of measuring changes referring to rural development and its position in local governance. Sensitivity in the context of this model is observed through: actions, attitudes, and estimated effects. 2. What is the base of the RSEM ? Key features of the LEADER approach. 3. What is the rational for the RSEM?

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THEORETICAL BACKGROUND  Group of works (scientific papers and political documents) related to the new approach to endogenous development & partnership between governments and other stakeholders in the processes of local development. Integrated rural development New Public Management The New Rural Governance The LEADER approach Examples from other countries regarding the models Rural Proofing concept Other institutional assessment models

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THEORETHICAL BACKGROUND - LEADER Vs RSEM LEADER Key Features RSEM Overall QuestionsGoals Area-based approach To what extent has the area-based approach been applied? Fostering of endogenous development. Rethinking rural territorial unit. Bottom-up approach Public-private partnership To what extent has the bottom – up approach been applied? To what extent has the participation of rural population in the development processes been supported? Participatory designing of development processes. Integrated approach To what extent have RD issues been considered integrally? Balancing and integrating the social, economic and environmental components of life in a rural area. Innovation To what extent have the innovative approaches been applied? Leading the local administration in a new and unique approach of local RD issues maintenance. Cooperation Networking To what extent have the inter-territorial cooperation, networking and/or cross- border cooperation been supported? To what extent has the organizational capacity of rural communities been supported? Reinforcing influence and activity of cooperating parties.

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE RSEM Type of Indicators Indicator Area Indicators Mandatory / Total number of Indicators 1 I Area-based approach within the local administration 4 / 5 II Bottom-up approach within the local administration - influence of local administration on cooperation and partnership 5 / 5 III Creation and implementation of strategic documents related to rural development 3 / 4 IV Application of innovative approaches in rural development planning and implementation 7 / 10 VMulti-level cooperation and networking3 / 4 2VIPosition of women and youth in rural areas3 /3 3VIIPersonnel's approach toward rural development10 / / 41

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THE SCORING SYSTEM Depiction of the IA III scoring system C1C2C3C4C5C6 R1 IS.I IA, NoIndicator Area R2IIICreation and implementation of strategic documents related to rural development R3Type of PointsFormulaPoints R4 Minimum number of points required to be evaluated (2.3)S.I Minimum number of points required to be a rural sensitive (the obliged indicators are fulfilled) ∑I (2,3,4)5.00 R5Maximum number of points ∑ I (1,3,4) +S.I R7 Checke d Gained points∑I (2,3,4)5.00 R81 There is a local rural development strategy 5.00 R9 1.1 Designing of a local strategy of rural development in progress 3.00 R102 1 strategic and / or planning document that is not directly related to rural development, but in which rural development is one of the key issue of development of the municipality R strategic and / or planning documents that are not directly related to rural development, but in which rural development is one of the key issue of development of the municipality 2.50 R ≥3 strategic and / or planning documents that are not directly related to rural development, but in which rural development is one of the key issue of development of the municipality 3.00 R In progress the designing of a strategic and / or planning document/s that is/are not directly related to rural development, but in which rural development is one of the key issue of development of the municipality is in a progress 0.75 R14 3 During the designing of a strategic and / or planning documents the representatives of non-governmental sector and the business sector have been consulted through the active participation of their representatives, and formal membership in the working groups and other bodies responsible for planning and defining the strategic documents / documented with at least 2 documents R154 During the designing of a strategic and / or planning documents the representatives of rural population have been consulted through the active participation of their representatives, and formal membership in the working groups and other bodies responsible for planning and defining the strategic documents / documented with at least 2 documents +2.00

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THE SCORING SYSTEM IndicatorsValues Indicator Area (IA) IIIIIIIVVVIVII Minimum number of points required to be evaluated (MinPE) Minimum number of points required to be a rural sensitive (MinPRS) (the obliged indicators are fulfilled) 5.00 Maximum number of points (MaxP) Municipal Rural – Sensitive Index (MRSI) = 100 MRSI=∑ MaxP IA’s(1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THE METHODS OF USE  Application of the RSEM involves three key steps: 1. Assessment of the current situation in local communities. a. Questionnaires b. Semi structured interviews c. Focus groups 2. Observations of information gathered by assessment from the first step. 3. Provision of guidelines and recommendations for overcoming/improving the existing situation

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THE METHODS OF USE Type of indicator s “Ex: I” Indicators pertaining functioning approach Indicator Area “Ex: 2” Bottom-up approach within the local administration - influence of local administration on cooperation and partnership Indicator “Ex: third/five” No of initiatives (training, active participation, promotional set, a common lobby, etc.) launched by the LG with the aim to unite local stakeholders from all three sectors/in the current year (CY) Overall question To what extent has the bottom – up approach contributed to the local rural development policy creating and local decision making? Specific question “Ex: first/two” Do You support participation of different interest groups in the strategic choices of the rural innovation programs? Quantitative approach No of activities: Trainings Projects Active participation Agreements Qualitative approach Groups included Subject / type of the activity Initiated by Dynamics of the activity Purpose of the activity Results obtained

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) THE METHODS OF USE Depiction of the questionnaire example (IA 2)

agriregionieuropa 12 DATABASE The technologies used : 1.PHP server-side scripting language, version MySQL database, version Flex Free Open source Framework, SDK version Apache UNIX Server

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agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Depiction of the territory where the RSEM has been tested Bordering Romania Bordering Bulgaria Where is the RSEM tested? In 4 municipalities in Eastern Serbia region as a case study. 16 municipal administrations’ employees

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS  The RSEM is designed as a TOOL which helps to:  Define a road map for LGs in rural development,  Identify the specific issues and the needs of vulnerable groups (rural communities and those within the rural communities),  Make the gaps between the commitments of local authorities towards rural issues and actual implementation and impact more visible,  Guide and provide the effective advice to the local and national key decision makers in accordance with the best practice (EU),  Measuring the outcomes and impacts of local and national non-rural- specific goals and activities on rural issues,  Make the urban / rural inequalities more visible,  Lobby the Government and other agencies to get a more rural responsive perspective,  Self-assessment among local authorities.

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS  Key futures of the RSEM: 1.Assertiveness - Assertive level of accuracy for assessing the level of local governments’ sensitivity on rural issues is provided. 2.Comparability - Determination of the differences among the local governments 3.Informativeness - The RSEM is enough informative to precisely point out the shortcomings of the LG in the level of fulfillment requirements defined by the RSEM. 4.Simulation - The RSEM provides the possibility of simulation of results according to different priorities defined. 5.Universalism - The RSEM is enough universal to be used in planning the intervention in the rural development area at all levels of policy from state government policy makers through the development agencies to the local level. 6.Dynamism - The structure of the RSEM offers the possibility of monitoring dynamic changes and measurement of the progress in the time dimension. 7.Simplicity - The RSEM offers relatively simple way of handling. 8.Flexibility and Adaptability - The RSEM follows up the local circumstances in order to adapt itself to the situation

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES  Motivation of all participants in the evaluation process (time, resources, people, "institutional memory"...)  Objectivity, "human factor"...  Semi-structured interview, “implying" that the interviewed person knows the information, "intellectual arrogance", documenting...  Political will, willingness to publicly express views, sharing of information;  Views of other stakeholders about the sensitivity of local government?  “Sensitivity" of those who apply the RSEM?  Economic effects, benefits of rural population - whether the sensitivity of the municipality to rural issues is reflected on benefits of rural population, economic performances, is there any compatibility?  Universality - Suitability of the Model for application beyond the territory of Serbia?

agriregionieuropa 122 nd EAAE Seminar, February 17 th – 18 th, 2011, Ancona (Italy) Branislav Milic Zmaj Jovina Street, 7 SRB Belgrade / Serbia Tel.: +381 (11) ; ; Fax: +381 (11) Thank You for your attention!