AN ambitious five year project which will aid economic revival in rural communities, and aim to halt the brain drain, has been launched in the region.

The Cornerstone scheme will encourage young farming entrepreneurs to develop long-term sustainable agricultural and rural business in the Yorkshire Dales.

Project co-ordinator, Mike Keeble, said: "The Yorkshire Dales, like many other rural areas of the country, has a long history of high levels of underemployment.

"Young people regularly leave the Dales in search of better employment and economic opportunities elsewhere.

"Cornerstone will try and address the imbalance offering young agricultural entrepreneurs financial support and access to mentors who have a track record of success in the rural economy."

The programme, supported by development agency, Yorkshire Forward, will offer young people, aged up to 35, who live in the Dales mentoring, practical business skills development, funding and support for agricultural business ideas.

Key elements will include creating a network of farming mentors across a field of experience to support and advise the young entrepreneurs.

There will also be grant and loan support to enable the development of ideas and the launch of business proposals within the target area.

A forum will also be created to allow participants in the scheme to voice their concerns and aspirations - connecting the young entrepreneurs with the wider regional and national rural agenda.

The enterprises Cornerstone will be trying to encourage will be those that underpin the long-term sustainability of rural areas, from small scale food processing to farm-based eco-tourism.

Heather Hancock of Yorkshire Forward, commenting on the new scheme, said: "We are pleased to support what we consider to be a key project for the Dales."