Rural Areas are Shaping the Future: Some Experiences with the Regional Action Programme in Germany

The starting point for this paper is the rediscovery of the concept of the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas as a way of adapting to economic pressures and the changing role of agriculture in soci- ety. Multifunctionality has always been a key feature of farming. Only over the last decades it has been set aside in favour of the conventional development model for agriculture in order to reduce production costs and to increase competitiveness. The new development model that is sketched out is illustrated on the basis of the practical experiences gained so far with the Regionen Aktiv ('Regional Action - Rural Areas Shaping the Future') pilot pro- gramme in Germany. In this programme an integrated and holistic approach is applied to the develop- ment of agriculture and rural areas. At the same time it is tried to encourage community participation and action, and to foster local and co-operative initiatives at all levels. A rediscovery and redefinition of rural-urban linkages is a key feature of the projects that are implemented as an integral part of more comprehensive regional development concepts. A key idea is that 'new' farm-related activities are ac- tively reconstructing and revitalizing rural economies in the model regions. The paper aims at giving an impression on how learning processes and skill building, which are consid- ered integral and vital components of the pilot programme, are taking place in the model regions. Learn- ing processes are examined at the level of individual entrepreneurs and actors, the level of the model region and the programme or policy making level: Making multifunctionality a key issue of agricultural policy programmes requires a mutual learning process between policy makers, research and rural actors.