Within the framework of the France-Wallonia-Vlaanderen Interreg V Programme, “Hainaut Développement” (a provincial institution) has participated as lead partner or partner in several cross-border cooperation projects of a sustainable nature.
The aim of the “All Eco-citizens” project was to involve the inhabitants in safeguarding and increasing biodiversity in the long term, through the implementation of 10 action and implementation plans: 3 habitats and 7 emblematic species. The partners were thus able to provide in-depth knowledge of local biodiversity, in collaboration with all local stakeholders, so that they could become ambassadors for actions to preserve local biodiversity.
The TRANS AGRO FOREST project aimed to protect soil and water by reintegrating trees and hedges into agricultural land by combining the wisdom of ancient practices with the efficiency of modern techniques. Agroforestry is an excellent ally in the fight against soil and water pollution. Trees and woody elements help to hold back the soil during heavy rainfall and absorb surplus manure while providing biodiversity, organic matter and additional income for the farmer. Various technical documents have been produced to facilitate the development of the agroforestry sector but also to advise people in the field in all stages of an agroforestry project, from reflection to harvest. Video clips on pilot farms exist to present various relevant agroforestry models.
The “Filière AD-T” project aimed to support Belgian and French agri-food SMEs in their cross-border development efforts. In order to obtain sustainable results, the 19 French, Walloon and Flemish operators have pooled their skills to reach all the links in the agri-food chain: production, processing, distribution and consumption, via 4 operational axes:
- networking of the sector’s actors with 9 professional meetings
- mobilisation via 27 awareness-raising actions
- promotion of cross-border agri-food know-how during 6 collective visits to trade fairs and 4 collective stands
- collective and individual support
The aim of the “Objectif Blue Stone” project was to support the economic actors in the stone sector by creating the “European blue stone crossroads”, thanks to 3 lines of action:
- support and promote the economic actors of the sector, from extraction to the construction sector, including transformers (marble makers) and specifiers (architects);
- innovate by developing new promising opportunities in partnership with research and design actors;
- training in the stone industry and its know-how as well as in the latest technological developments.
In 4 years, 90 actions have been carried out, including training courses, coaching workshops for companies, immersive, technical and educational visits, travelling exhibitions, a cross-border urban design competition, and a digital platform dedicated to professionals.