Roma Agricultural Development Programme

Under the Roma Agricultural Development Programme, we provided support to promote independent economic activity among the Roma community. As a continuation of our programmes ‘My Own Kitchen Garden’ and ‘Horticulture 2000’, the aim of our new development programme, launched in 2000, was to enable the supported organisations to carry out their intended economic activities in a sustainable manner over the long term, through several years of professional development.

The programme was implemented across three interlinked levels: at the first level, the supported organisations were given the opportunity to implement a basic management programme, supplemented by professional training related to management activities. At the second level, we expanded the participants’ knowledge of farming, entrepreneurship and management; and at the third level, we supported the development of independent, market-viable economic units.

By February 2002, during the first two years of the programme, we had supported 32 projects at the first level and 10 at the second level.

With professional support, the participants achieved more efficient management, gained financial benefits through their economic activities, and became capable of managing their operations independently for the following year or even implementing more complex programmes.

In this project too, Autonómia monitored the use of the grant throughout.