Rural France given innovation boost
France is to benefit from 536 million euro for an innovative rural development programme, provided under the Commission's LEADER+ initiative. LEADER+ aims to promote and support high quality integrated strategies for local rural development, and includes a focus on using new skills and technologies to increase the competitiveness of products and services in rural areas. 'This programme is intended to pilot new ideas for developing a sustainable model of social, economic and environmental development in rural France. LEADER+ will promote the use of new skills and technologies to make products and services in rural areas more competitive,' said Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler.