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Rural businesses
Helping businesses > Rural businesses
Rural businesses
The growth of a sustainable economy in rural areas of the East of England depends on many of the same factors that drive the wider economy and demands innovation, new skills and a supportive business environment.
The region’s cities, towns and villages form an inter-dependent network and their businesses face many of the same challenges - but in more remote areas low-growth, low wage economies may prevail and businesses can require specific, targeted support to meet their demands. EEDA‘s Rural Gateway programme with Business Link East developed strong links with rural business and expertise in rural business issues remains a key part of the Business Link service.
The region has a progressive and diverse agricultural and food sector which employs one in seven of the workforce and is a substantial component of the regional economy.
There are over 700 food manufacturing companies ranging from small speciality producers to some of the largest food companies in the world.
The region leads on environmental issues and has a strong focus on biodiversity with more land in stewardship than any other region. Innovative resource management projects include waste to energy plants and large new collaboratively owned reservoirs.
EEDA’s leadership has helped develop close working relationships with rural partner organisations, farmers, growers and businesses. Their united aim is to bring forward a thriving and diverse rural economy which is ready for future challenges in production and environmental change. For food and farming this is summed up in the new 2020 Vision.
EEDA’s own financial resources are geared up to achieve these aims. Funding available through the EEDA-operated Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has already brought some real success stories to prove this.
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