Empowering young rural entrepreneurs in Rural Pact implementation: A human-ecology perspective on social innovation

Description

My commitment is to contribute meaningful results from my PhD research, which is focused on developing an assessment model that underscores the relevance of social innovation in empowering rural young entrepreneurs. This model is grounded in principles of knowledge co-production and place-based policies aimed at promoting territorial cohesion. The official title is: "Social Innovation for rural young entrepreneurship: an assessment model to boost territorial cohesion through knowledge exchange and tailored place-based policies". Given that social innovation remains a fragmented concept, this study highlights the need for integrated research approaches to uncover the knowledge requirements necessary for advancing rural development through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Adopting a human ecology perspective, this research frames social innovation as a social-ecological process of collective entrepreneurship, particularly within rural areas. Informed by trends and gaps identified in the literature on rural development, social innovation and rural entrepreneurship, this perspective provides a framework for understanding how and why social innovation can act as a catalyst for resilience and sustainable growth in disadvantaged regions.

While agriculture remains a significant sector in these areas, it is often unappealing to younger generations. Recent evaluations in Portugal reveal that agricultural policies targeting young farmers have been largely inadequate and lack appeal. I propose that new opportunities for reorienting rural development lie in emphasizing agriculture’s multifunctional potential and leveraging the Portuguese legal framework for the “Young Rural Entrepreneur.” (YRE). My guiding question is: How can diverse knowledge sources and territorially grounded measures be utilized to support new ventures for young people and foster social innovation in rural contexts? Recently I made an oral communication titled: "Leveraging the Young Rural Entrepreneur Statute for Socioecological Proofing: a Pathway to Rural Transformation " guided by the specific question: “How can the YRE statute help boost rural proofing’ practices through a socio-ecological lens, to operationalize social innovation from a human ecology perspective?”. 

Answering this question requires a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort that leverages digital transition opportunities. My research aims to deepen our understanding of transformative social innovation processes, fostering rural-urban cooperation to promote sustainability. Engaging young people in these processes is critical to shaping resilient, vibrant rural areas and advancing a sustainable transformation that attracts and retains new generations.

The mission and vision of my work align with all three objectives of the Rural Pact, with the primary focus (the core of my thesis) directly connected to Goal 1, while recognizing key interdependencies with the other two objectives. This PhD research is supported by National Funds through FCT, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under Ph.D. fellowship 2021.06974.BD, and is hosted by the Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA) at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, NOVA FCSH, NOVA University of Lisbon.

Commitment's information

Stakeholder beneficiary(ies)

Activities

Expected Outcomes

The key milestones (M) of my commitment are: