Begoña García, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food: "The Spanish Rural Development Network helps us structure and promote the life of our villages."

The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Begoña García , has highlighted the central role of the Spanish Rural Development Network (REDR) in promoting economic and social activity in rural areas.

During her speech at the network's general assembly , the Secretary of State defended the Leader program as an "undisputed tool in the region."   which promotes innovative projects and cooperation between territories, not only at the local level, but also at the regional, national and European levels.

The general assembly brought together representatives from nearly 200 associations, including local action groups and Leader rural development groups, present in the 17 autonomous communities. Begoña García emphasized that this expansion allows the work they do daily to "reach more than 6,000 municipalities, home to more than nine million people."

The Secretary of State appealed to local and regional governments. “It is crucial to work hand in hand, together. Without rural areas, there is no future, but we need them to be a sector and territories that can thrive in the 21st century and develop their full potential,” she stated.