ENRD Main Stories Archives
NRN of the month: The National Rural Network of Slovenia
The Slovenian National Rural Network has been operational since April 2008. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is responsible for the operation and implementation of the NRN and its action plan.
The network’s main objective is to engage stakeholders through the exchange of information, experience and know-how between all players, rural areas, administrations and organisations involved in rural development within Slovenia and the European Union.
Network structure & activities
- The National Support Unit (NSU) is based within the rural development division of the Ministry.
- The Steering Committee consisting of several rural development stakeholders, contributes to the annual action plan and participates actively in rural projects.
- The network cooperates with the so-called INFO Points which run under the Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry. INFO Points provide stakeholders with information on Rural Development Programmes (RDPs).
The key activities of the NRN during the 2007-2013 programming period were:
- Communication – providing two-way information on rural development;
- Cooperation – promotion of cooperation projects, networking and good practices exchange;
- Training – capacity building for stakeholders in rural areas.
Examples of successful Slovenian NRN projects
The documentary series ‘Project: In the Countryside’ was broadcast on the national television. The eight films aimed to raise awareness of rural stakeholders and the broader public about the LEADER approach in Slovenia and the role of Local Action Groups. The documentaries are available online in Slovenian and English.
The weekly electronic NRN newsletter ‘PRePlet’ provides all the latest news about rural development.
The creation of a new website focusing solely on RDPs. This user-friendly website provides information about current and past programming period.
In collaboration with the Slovenian Rural Development Network, the Slovenian NRN has organised two consecutive Slovenian Rural Parliaments [PDF 
] bringing together different stakeholders to discuss the actual needs of rural areas communities.
Outlook for the programming period 2014–2020
Key planned activities of the NRN in the 2014-2020 programming period include more information and communication – the NRN will be one of the main bodies facilitating information and communicating the RDP. Knowledge transfer, cooperation and innovation are three of the main challenges to be addressed by the Slovenian RDP and the NRN will provide support to stimulate greater involvement of rural partners. Many other support activities are foreseen.
