Lutz Scherling, Head of the Division in the Ministry for Agriculture, the Environment and Consumer Protection, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Open Days 2015Opportunities for Demographic ChangeBrussels, 14 October 2015

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – rural development as part of the

demographic change

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

6.5% of the total area of the Federal Republic of Germany Sixth-largest federal state.

Six districts, two independent urban districts and around 780 municipalities, nine of which have in excess of20.000 inhabitants (fragmented settlement pattern).

85% of the area of Mecklenburg-Vorpommernis rural.

2% of the population of the Federal Republic of Germany, lowest population density of allfederal states (69 inhabitants per km²).

Gross domestic product (GDP): only 1.3% of the total German amount.

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Version: 2015

An entire federal state has (considerably) fewer inhabitants than one “city”

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1989: 1,626,220 inhabitants2014: 1,803,752 inhabitants

Map: Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie, Frankfurt am Main, 2013

1989 2014:Δ HH = + 11 %Δ M-V = - 19 %

1989: 1,963,909 inhabitants2014: 1,598,800 inhabitants

Situation in the whole of Germany – public services and economic power

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Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is particularly affected in almost all indicators

Demographic change – population trends in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern(draft of the fifth up-dated projection, Source Statistisches Landesamt)

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Based on the year 2013 and depending on the model, the population in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will decline by between approx. 80 thousand and 120 thousand inhabitants by 2035. This corresponds to a population decline of between 6.9 and 7.3%. 

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Population trend as % between 2013 and 2035 - Projection for the 96 near-regions

Regional losses of between -35 and -46%

Regional gains of between +10 and +35%

Competition amongst rural municipalities and with the urban regions is increasing.

Growing disparities!

Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP M-V) – second pillar of the GAP

On 13 February 2015, the European Commission approved the Rural Development Programme (RDP) for the funding period between 2014 and 2020

Subsidies amounting to €1.2 billion are available €936.7 million are from the EU budget €89.8 million are from the German financial framework for

the GAP direct payments (4.5% redistribution) €262.6 million from national and communal co-financing

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Social participation and economic development

• €339 million in total

• 80% of the population will benefit from improved services

• LEADER approach € 80 million Is offered extensively in 14 LAGs

Competitive power of the agricultural sector

• €195 million in total • Investments in agriculture:

Focus on animal well-being,

high-quality products, improved working conditions and diversification of farms

Transfer of knowledge and innovation

• €24 million in total

8,500 people involved in further training and consultancy

EIP – European Innovation Partnerships and Network Promotion

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The RDP and the strengthening of the social infrastructure – our way…

Development programmes for investments in the expansion of the requirements-based range of basic services considerably augmented!

OBJECTIVE: to ensure regional public services

Challenges include: Enabling the flexibility of legal

standards and norms

Ensuring the multi-functionality of the village infrastructure facilities

Promoting and advancing inter-communal cooperation

Mobility becomes a key factor, allow alternative concepts

Strengthening voluntary work

EAFRD – projects with a future

Conversion of Groß Mohrdorf manor house into a nursery

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Photo sources: Fotodokumentation des Bauablaufes, Architekten- und Ingenieur-Contor Mittelbach, Stralsund

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EAFRD – projects with a future

Example:

municipality of Balow, district of Ludwigslust-Parchim More public services at local level

The village community centre is to be structurally altered in order to meet the current and future public services needs.

BusStop for the BürgerAktivBus (in service since September 2014). MARKTPLATZ for travelling vendors and service providers (irrespective of the

season – premises available in the community centre) MITBRING-Agentur (organised by the citizens) BürgerKÜCHE (as a meeting point for social exchange)

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EAFRD – projects with a future

Example Woldegk:outpatient clinic guarantees primary health careThe administrative district of Woldegk (district of Mecklenburg Lake District) has a population density of only 24 people per km2.

People are becoming fewer, considerably older and trips – including to the doctor – are becoming longer.

The “Zentrale Gesundheitshaus Woldegk”, which received €400k in subsidies in 2012, provides enough space for two GPs’ surgeries, one surgery used by several consultants, one physiotherapy practice and 14 barrier-free apartments.

LEADERalternativ – the example of “Multiple houses” in the Haff region

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www.netzwerk-laendlicher-raum.de/beispiele/wettbewerb-2012/multiple-haeuser

Improved primary care in times of demographic change;

A lack of mobility of the population is being replaced by mobility of the service providers;

Clinics, hair salon, grocers, meeting place for clubs and the village community, etc.;

Economic viability is increased by networking.

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Fair chances of development for rural regions as part of the demographic change

Summary

Can only be guaranteed with the right infrastructure and public services

Necessitate regional economic power

Necessitate regional cooperation and specific answers at local level

Necessitate advice and accompaniment

Necessitate the political will of the EU, of the member states and the regions.