About LAG „Valley of Raba”

Local Action Group (LAG) called “Dolina Raby” (the valley of river called Raba) was one of 39 LAGs in Małopolska Voivodship (region) and one of 335 Local Action Groups in Poland.

LGD „Valley of Raba” covers the area of six communes:

• Biskupice,
• Gdów,
• Łapanów,
• Nowy Wiśnicz,
• Trzciana
• Żegocina

and population over 59 thousand.

Picture. The area of LAG Dolina Raby (red) on the map of LAGs of Malopolskie region. Local Action Group “Dolina Raby” is situated in the south of Poland, about 40 km in south-east from Kraków. LGD Dolina Raby is the cross-sector partnership of over 120 public, social and economic partners – six public administrations (communes), one health care institution, over 30 entrepreneurs, a dozen of associations and foundations, a dozen of farmers and local activists.

Local Action Group Dolina Raby like other LAGs in Poland is a legal entity. LGD Dolina Raby is a special association under conditions of article 15 of act implementing Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 in Poland. LAG acted within the priority Axis 4 of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 – Leader. Measures of priority Axis 4 – Leader were:

• Implementation of local development strategies;
• Implementation of cooperation projects;
• Functioning of a local action group, gaining skills and activation.

The implementation of our Local Development Strategy based on the measures defined within also priority Axis 3 (social) – economic diversification of rural areas and improvement of the quality of life in rural areas. The support from EAFRD 2007-2013 for our LAG was about 2 million Euros.

We are interested in a job creation, especially in the following fields:

• food processing, especially connected with traditional local products,
• tourism, especially in developing of touristic trails,
• innovation and technology transfer, especially in the field of renewable energy.
• wood industry,

Local Action Group Dolina Raby is a member of The Malopolska Network of LAGs. This network is a member of Polish Network of LAGs which is a member of ELARD. Krzysztof Kwatera – the President of Local Action Group Dolina Raby is a member of the Working Group of National Rural Network in Poland representing all LAGs in Poland. Our the most important event is Festiwal Rosołu (the Broth Festival). The first Polish cookbook was wrote by Stanisław Czerniecki in 1682 in the castle of Nowy Wiśnicz. The first position in this book is occupied by Polish Broth.

Cooperation Projects

We took part in 11 cooperation projects (including three preparatory ones). Two projects (with two preparatory ones) were transnational (one with Finnish and one with Irish LAGs). The projects were mainly concerned with a promotion of local traditional food.

“Smaki Łączą Regiony”, “Smak 2”, “Smak 3”

(Tastes Connect Regions, Taste 2, Taste 3) the competition of cookers and the presentation of local dishes from 6 and more LAGs from different regions of Poland – three projects in different places of Poland

Szlak Rowerowy im. Żeleńskich (Bicycle Route named the family of Żeleński) – through areas of three LAGs

And “Szlak Węgierski (“Hungarian Route”) – through areas of six LAGs (planned continuation on area of Slovakia and Hungary)

Spotkanie Kultur Polski i Finlandii  (Polish – Finnish Culinary Meeting)

– the presentation of Polish and Finnish dishes on the Food Fair in Kauhajoki (Finland)

“Tradycyjna Kuchnia Polska i Irlandzka” („Polish and Irish Authentic Cuisine”) – the presentation of Polish and Irish dishes for community of Leitrim (Ireland)

We are looking for partners for the common projects

Assistance for producers of local food products in developing their businesses (kitchen incubators) and in marketing their products.

“Cookbook Museum” – to collect local and regional cookbooks from different regions and countries