• Organised by Rural Pact
  • CEST
  • English
  • Online

This Good Practice Webinar, organised by the Rural Pact Support Office, will showcase national, regional and local experiences and initiatives that promote innovation in rural areas. It will build participants’ capacity to develop and implement innovative actions that respond to the emerging opportunities and challenges in rural areas, with a particular focus on technological, ecological and social innovation.

Objectives
  • Exchange on and learn from national, regional and local experiences and initiatives that promote innovation in rural areas;
  • Build participants’ capacity to develop and implement innovative actions that respond to the emerging opportunities and challenges in rural areas with a particular focus on technological, ecological and social innovation;
  • Encourage and mobilise the Rural Pact Community and relevant stakeholders to take concrete actions that enhance rural innovation and related ecosystems, ensuring sustainable, inclusive and impactful solutions for rural communities.

The webinar is targeted at public authorities, project implementers and promoters of innovative rural initiatives, including potential local project holders as well as local, regional and national private and public actors.

English language

Draft Agenda

(PDF – 144.73 KB)

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Background

How can innovation be best supported and implemented in rural areas to drive technological, ecological and socioeconomic progress?

Place-based, rural innovation and dedicated innovation ecosystems are key in revitalising rural areas and transforming them into dynamic places of opportunity. This requires connecting multiple stakeholders – including local authorities, businesses, research institutions, and civil society – to co-create, pilot and implement innovative technological and social solutions. This would enable them to seize opportunities and address pressing challenges in areas such as depopulation, limited access to public services, economic development and climate change. 

The European Commission implements several strategic initiatives to strengthen place-based, rural innovation in order to boost the digital, green and social transitions. These include the Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs), Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3),  Horizon Europe projects for smart communities (e.g. Smart-era, Futural, Ruractive), LEADER/CLLD (Community-Led Local Development), Smart Villages, EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and the Start-Up Village Forum.

More recently, the Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food announced a revision of the strategic approach to research and innovation (R&I) to increase the competitiveness of agriculture, forestry and rural areas. The aim is to ensure more efficient investments, align future priorities with scientific developments and seize new opportunities.

The Commission’s efforts are complemented by a wealth of initiatives in Member States, regions and rural communities to create the right conditions that enable and drive innovation on the ground.

The Good Practice Webinar will showcase inspiring initiatives supporting rural communities to create and implement digital, technological and social innovations, and foster exchange on how to unlock the innovative potential of rural communities, businesses and people.

Additional info

Organiser

Rural Pact Support Office

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