Go to the main content

We are a Horizon Europe project focused on better understanding and transforming Europe’s rural areas while contributing to the development of policies and initiatives for their balanced and inclusive growth.

1/9

Why does rural matter?

Wide European territory

Nearly 80% of the EU’s territory is rural, home to around 30% of the population—most of whom are ageing.

2/9

Why does rural matter?

Diversity and growing inequalities

Our rural territories in Europe vary greatly, with diversification creating tensions over social inequality, agriculture, and land management models.

3/9

Why does rural matter?

Impact on social and territorial cohesion

Feelings of abandonment and political resentment often arise in these areas.

4/9

Why does rural matter?

Key to Europe’s future economy

Rural areas play an essential role in building a sustainable, circular, and technology-driven economy.

5/9

Why does rural matter?

Evolving beyond stereotypes

Rural regions are no longer just agricultural or peripheral working-class spaces.

6/9

Why does rural matter?

A long-term vision

Integrating rural areas into broader territorial strategies is essential to tackle Europe’s societal challenges.

7/9

Why does rural matter?

One-size-fits-all policies don’t work

Uniform approaches have worsened territorial inequalities.

8/9

Why does rural matter?

Knowledge gap

Despite 30 years of rural typologies, key social dimensions are often overlooked—an issue exposed by the Covid pandemic and ongoing transitions.

9/9

Why does rural matter?

More than geography

The Covid crisis highlighted the role of rural areas in shaping economic, cultural, and leisure experiences for both residents and visitors.

Our scientific adventure:
ploughing new paths

Our solution is to create science-based innovations. We mix social science methodologies—including statistics, econometrics, ethnography, archival research, cartography, textual analysis, experimental economics, and forecasting—across key stages:

1/3

Redefining rural areas – After COVID 19 and long-term transitions

  • Developing a theoretical model integrating physical and social space – mobility and flows.
  • Implementing a comprehensive data-gathering strategy to capture their evolving dynamics.
2/3

Understanding and adapting markets - Public policies and private initiatives

  • Analysing the factors that drive attractiveness, markets, and public policies.
  • Assessing different types of rural areas and evaluating public policies.
  • Piloting and assessing initiatives aimed at farmers to drive positive change.
  • Creating a library of initiatives to support rural
3/3

Producing scenarios for each type of rural area

  • Crafting future scenarios and positive narratives.
  • Producing spatial projections to identify potential specialisations across Europe’s rural areas.
Discover our innovations