O subprograma 3 do PRODER

: o caso do território Douro Verde

Abstract

The aims of this dissertation were to assess PRODER’s subprogram 3 (LEADER approach of the Common Agricultural Policy - CAP – in the 2007- 2013 programming period) in the LEADER Douro Verde territory, from the stakeholders’ point of view, and to draw conclusions from it, concerning the Local Community Based Development Initiative (DLBC, LEADER approach of the CAP in the 2014-2020 programming period), in the same territory. The Douro Verde territory covers the entire counties of Amarante, Baião and Marco de Canaveses and also parishes of the counties of Cinfães, Resende and Penafiel. The method used to answer the research questions was the exploratory case study research. It included a documental analysis as well as interviews to the stakeholders related to the subprogram in the territory, namely: individual beneficiaries, the city council of Baião, the intermunicipal community of Tâmega and Sousa, the past and present Dolmen CEOs and the members of the technical team supporting the respective Action Local Group. The results show that PRODER's SP 3 exceeded expectations, concerning predicted and actual investment, and also in terms of jobs created. In spite of the bureaucratic load in the candidature phase, mainly due to the impositions of the Portuguese central government, the various stakeholders make a very positive assessment of the subprogram and performance of the Dolmen in the territory. The projects were executed in time and Dolmen reached the goal of closing its operations in the established deadlines. Regarding the DLBC, the main difficulty seems to lie in the articulation between the Dolmen and the CIM for the management of European funds. Among others, the contracts established between the Portuguese central government and the CIMs for the management of European funds translate in a lower maximum amount of funds per project that the DLBC can finance when compared with the SP 3.

Date of Award	3 Apr 2018
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Leonardo Costa (Supervisor)