Province Vlaams-Brabant Bridging the gap between Urban & Rural Areas Brussels 12th october 2015 Pierre-Bernard Van Acker LEADER Coordinator Hageland

Bridging the gab : challenges  To get to know the region  Develop a LT vision  Set goals and targets for development  Dissimination of information

Fact and figures  Get the right figures,  insight in characteristics of the urban en rural area  To be able to develop a right strategy a scan of the region is necessary on different levels : -Social economic scan -The evolution of the demography -Employment and unemployment -The alligment of eduction with the needs of the labor market -insight in economic waves and cycles

Right organisational structures  Right structures to discuss about these topics and to dissiminate the information -Economic Platforms : (e.g. RESOC) -Local action groups -Grants or funding programs -Projects : – convenant of mayers – Cooperation projects – Developing multifunding Regional development programs

Human capital  Dedicated persons  Teamplayers  Netwerk  Friendship

Possible solutions  Regional Branding Hageland -Empowered by the province -3 years proces started in Multi sector regional development plan -Multi stakeholders approach -Participation of the inhabitants

Hageland in the province VL-Brabant

Thematic approach in focus groups Meyers Agriculture Tourism Entrepreneurship Fruit culture & Viticulture Local products Cultural Heritage

Hageland as a brand : vision statement  Self-conscious  Hospitable  Inspiring  Confortable  Experience economy  Sustainable added value

Economic diversification, job creation  Tienen's Feed Food Health project constitutes a knowledge and innovation community focused on groundbreaking initiatives, advancements and activities in the broad domain of healthy food and healthy feed.  University of Leuven  Functional food  Regional development

communication  Municipalities  Partners  Pres  Tourism  Projects  Promotion

Hageland online  Development initiative from the rural area  Online platform  Bridging the gab between local shops and new customers  Idea’s are developing to use this in the broader region including towns with the help of the province