All news

05 Nov 2023

A guide for Inclusive community engagement in local planning and decision making

This guide supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development (Ireland) provides meaningful insights to assist in inclusive local engagement processes, particularly of marginalised communities also in rural areas.

31 Oct 2023

Eurostat Regional Yearbook 2023 is now available

The Eurostat Regional Yearbook 2023 is your comprehensive guide to statistical data across EU, EFTA, and candidate countries' regions. Understand the impact of policy decisions through a wide array of indicators.

30 Oct 2023

Chain Migrations and Rural Revitalisation in Spain: A New Perspective

A recent study by Paula Alonso-Pardo, Laura Oso, and Leticia Santaballa sheds light on the role of chain migrations in revitalising demographically-challenged rural areas in Spain. The research offers a nuanced understanding beyond the conventional depopulation narrative.

30 Oct 2023

Towards resilient food systems: the latest OECD insights on supply chains resilience and policy responses.

This OECD paper explores food supply chain resilience and its connection to food systems. It calls on policymakers to adopt a holistic approach that takes into account the broader set of food systems objectives, anticipates a broader range of shocks, and identifies coherent policy solutions.

30 Oct 2023

Young adults choosing rural life: insights from Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany

Check the latest research output from the STAYin(g)Rural project which investigates why young adults choose to continue living in rural areas, an understudied aspect in comparison to the reasons motivating their urban migration.

30 Oct 2023

Boosting Rural Innovation in Scotland: A Comprehensive Look at OECD Findings

Scotland's rural areas are not just scenic landscapes; they're engines of economic growth and innovation. This OECD report sheds light on how Scotland is leveraging its strengths in university-firm collaborations, social entrepreneurship, and resource management to drive rural innovation. Discover the policies and practices that are making a difference and what more can be done.

30 Oct 2023

Networks and rural-urban linkages for rural innovation: The new OECD working paper is out!

Ever wondered how rural areas can become innovation hubs? This OECD working paper reveals that networks and rural-urban linkages are the secret ingredients. Discover how unique rural characteristics influence innovation adoption and what policy insights can guide future strategies.

30 Oct 2023

Researchers use web scraping to collect data on rural housing

Looking to unravel the complexities of rural housing markets in Sweden? Discover how web scraping is offering invaluable data that can help monitor environmental shifts, understand rural patterns, and fuel rural development programmes with comprehensive, up-to-date information.

20 Oct 2023

Smart Rural 21 – Spotlight on the Final Report

The final report of the first Preparatory Action on Smart Rural Areas in the 21st century, commonly called Smart Rural 21, has been published.
This action aimed to operationalise the Smart Villages definition (provided by the Eco-social Villages Pilot Project) and to test the implementation of smart village strategies in practice.
The Report based on the local experience of 21 villages across Europe, provides important insights on how to support rural communities to develop Smart Village Strategies.

20 Oct 2023

EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe': €90 million for 17 new projects to support healthy soils

The European Commission invested €90 million in 17 more research projects that contribute to the EU Mission: ‘A Soil Deal for Europe', one of the EU Rural action plan flagships for resilient rural areas. These projects focus on restoring and protecting soil health to support sustainable food production, biodiversity preservation, climate resilience, and the European Green Deal objectives.