Territorial Approach To Development

Integrated territorial development is a proactive approach geared towards shaping the future of regions or larger territories. It goes beyond traditional regional policy as it brings together economic, social and environmental opportunities and concerns. Territorial development strategies help to explore potentials for economic growth and decent jobs and at the same time support an enhanced quality of life by helping to meet the challenge of sustainable development. A precondition to integrated territorial development is to consider the specific economic, social and environment potentials of a territory in an interrelated and integrated manner. Development strategies need to be geared towards increased territorial competitiveness enhanced economic, social and territorial cohesion and cooperation.

Promoting and managing integrated territorial development is a complex task that requires well-experienced individuals that are capable of conceptualising and planning in an integrated and cross-sectoral manner. AGSL reinforces territorial planning capacities at the provincial and local levels through enhancing existing capacities within the local governmental institutions.

A core element of territorial development is the promotion of territorial competitiveness. A territory becomes competitive if it is able to face market competition whilst at the same time ensuring environmental, social and cultural sustainability.

That includes:
i) taking the area’s resources into account in a bid for overall coherence;
ii) involving different players and institutions;
iii) integrating business sectors into an innovation dynamic;
iv) cooperating with other areas and linking up with regional and national policies as well as the global context.

AGSL supports local actors to acquire a set of different skills:
i) the skill to assess their environment;
ii) to take joint actions;
iii) to create links between sectors by assuring that maximum added value is retained; and
iv) to liase with other areas in the country and abroad.

These skills can be linked with ‘the four dimensions’ of territorial competitiveness:

Social Competitiveness: AGSL enhances the ability of the players to act effectively together on the basis of shared conceptions and encourage the cooperation between various institutional levels;

Environmental Competitiveness: AGSL enhances the ability of the actors by make the most of their environment by making it a ‘distinctive element’ of their area, whilst at the same time ensuring that natural resources and heritage are preserved and revitalised;

Economic Competitiveness: AGSL enhances the ability the actors to create and retain maximum added value in the province by strengthening its links between sectors by turning their combined resources into assets for enhancing the value and distinctiveness of their local products and services. The Local Economic Development Agency play an instrumental role in promoting these goals and supporting the relevant actors.

 Southern Province
 Uva Province