Rural areas and rural communities
This European Commission AgriResearch factsheet provides an overview of EU research and innovation supporting rural areas and rural communities, particularly projects funded through Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. It explains the role of research and innovation in understanding rural dynamics, needs and drivers of change and in supporting sustainable, balanced, fair and inclusive rural development.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
SHERPA rural project repository
The SHERPA rural project repository is an online searchable database bringing together research outputs and findings from projects related to rural areas. It was developed through the EU-funded SHERPA project to make existing rural research knowledge easier to find and use.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Smart Rural 21 roadmap toolbox
The Smart Rural 21 roadmap toolbox is an online practical resource designed to help rural communities develop and implement Smart Village strategies. Rather than a single guide or publication, it is structured as an interactive roadmap through the different stages of a community’s ‘Smart Village journey’, with dedicated web pages providing guidance, methods, templates, examples and other practical tools.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Smart solutions database
The smart solutions database is an online collection of innovative practices implemented by rural communities across Europe. Developed through the Smart Rural 21 project, it is intended to provide inspiration and practical information for rural communities looking for solutions that can be adapted to their own local needs and circumstances.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Guidebook on how to become a Smart Village
The Guidebook on How to Become a Smart Village provides practical guidance for rural communities interested in developing and implementing Smart Village approaches, as well as organisations supporting them. It draws on two years of experience from the Smart Rural 21 project, which worked with selected rural communities across Europe and engaged more than 100 additional ‘Come Along!’ villages through exchanges and capacity-building activities.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
European Smart Villages Observatory
The European Smart Villages Observatory is an online platform and networking framework bringing together stakeholders at local, regional, national and European levels around Smart Villages. Developed through the Smart Rural 27 project, it was piloted to facilitate exchange of experience and knowledge and help improve the implementation and policy support of Smart Villages.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Networks and rural-urban linkages for rural innovation
This OECD paper examines how networks and rural-urban linkages can support the adoption and diffusion of innovation in rural regions. It considers the distinctive characteristics of rural areas – including lower population density, greater distances to markets and more limited access to business networks, labour markets and services – and how these influence the ways innovation is developed, adopted and spread.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Bridging the rural-urban divide: addressing inequalities and empowering communities
This Eurofound research report examines inequalities between rural and urban areas across Europe and their implications for territorial and social cohesion. It analyses differences in economic and living conditions, employment opportunities, human capital and digital skills, alongside less tangible dimensions such as recognition, cultural attitudes, political participation, trust in institutions and satisfaction with democracy. It also examines rural-urban differences in access to public services and examples of innovative approaches to service delivery.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
DESIRA project resources on digitalisation of agriculture and rural areas
The DESIRA resources repository is an online collection of research, policy and practical resources exploring the impacts of digitalisation on agriculture, forestry and rural areas. It brings together outputs produced through the EU-funded DESIRA project, which examined both the opportunities created by digital technologies and their potential economic and social implications for rural communities.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
Broadband Competence Offices Network library
The Broadband Competence Offices (BCO) Network library is an online collection of European Commission resources related to broadband and digital connectivity. Hosted within the ‘Shaping Europe’s digital future’ library, it brings together publications, reports, studies, factsheets, videos, good practices and other resources produced or promoted through the BCO Network.
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform