ASOCIACIÓN DE DESARROLLO RURAL SAJA NANSA

The Rural Development Association Saja-Nansa (from now on RDA) began its journey in 1992 by bringing together the efforts of twelve Town Halls that took on the challenge and responsibility of making their region's living conditions more dynamic and improving them by seeking and managing public funds. Today it brings together 18 municipalities: Cabezón de la Sal, Udías, Mazcuerras, Ruente, Cabuérniga, Los Tojos, Valdáliga, San Vicente de la Barquera, Peñarrubia, Herrerías, Rionansa, Alfoz de Lloredo, Ruiloba, Comillas, Polaciones, Tudanca, Val de San Vicente and Lamasón and twenty-seven private entities. On the initiative of the then Regional Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries and twelve municipalities, the RDA Saja-Nansa was born as the entity responsible for implementing the LEADER program in the area. Saja-Nansa had never functioned as an administrative or economic unit and the feeling of inter-municipal cooperation was very diffuse. The animation work carried out in the successive phases of the project, allowed us to detect the existence of a number of entrepreneurial initiatives that had not found the channel to manifest themselves, possibly due to a lack of support. With this, a program was launched, which has become a banner and a sign of identity for a growing number of people and groups, in an increasingly diversified action and with the perspective of being useful to the region from all fronts. Thus, together with the promotion of economic activity, it has become clear that the social structure of the region is based on the creation of a network of associations. In order to fulfil these objectives and aims, the following actions are carried out: * Raising awareness of the social fabric of the areas, focusing on the needs, resources, actions and projects that contribute to the development of the territory and its own interests * Coordinate and organize socio-cultural activities such as seminars, meetings, conferences, workshops and studies related to the needs of the region * Design and implement the necessary actions to achieve the permanent formation of the different groups, with special attention to the training of the members of the decision making bodies * Promoting the exchange of experiences * Working in a network * Favor professional training, employment and self-employment, with a greater emphasis on career guidance and business counseling, with individualized attention * Developing actions to improve competitiveness and consolidate companies, promoting the social economy In this period of time the RDA Saja Nansa has managed different programs and initiatives: * Community initiative LEADER I, LEADER II and LEADER PLUS * Rural Development Programmes LEADER 2007-2014 and currently LEADER 2014-2020 * Approximately in 2012 it obtains the recognition as Local Action Group of Fishing and begins to manage the axis 4 of FEMP, situation that is maintained at the present time * In the framework of INTERREG Sudoe, has coordinated and managed the project RIEGAA, European wireless network for water management and saving * European Information Point, (PIE) in the framework of collaboration with the DG of European Funds of the Regional Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Government of Cantabria * Dissemination of good practices related to landscape management in the framework of collaboration with the DG of Territorial Planning of the Ministry of Public Works, Territorial Planning and Urbanism of the Government of Cantabria, etc. It is part of: * Cantabrian Network for Rural Development and the Spanish Network for Rural Development. (RCDR & REDR) * International Association "Roads of Prehistoric Rock Art" ("European Rock Art Trails") entity that manages the Cultural Itinerary of the Council of Europe "Roads of Prehistoric Rock Art" * Spanish Network of Fishing Groups