Despite their potential, rural areas across Europe continue to face long-standing challenges such as population decline, inadequate infrastructure, land use conflicts, and limited access to education and job opportunities. The RURACTIVE project supports rural communities in becoming vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable places to live, work, and grow. By promoting innovation, creativity, and social inclusion, the project helps rural areas take an active role in Europe’s green and digital transitions. Its goals align with major EU strategies, including the European Green Deal and the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, which call for rural regions to harness new opportunities emerging from the green and digital transitions, as well as lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
RURACTIVE uses an inclusive, participatory approach to engage these stakeholders around six key Rural Development Drivers (RDDs) namely: Sustainable multimodal mobility, Energy transition and climate neutrality, Sustainable agri-food systems and ecosystem management, Nature-based and cultural tourism, culture and cultural innovation, Local services, health, and well-being. As well the porject foster a rural development that includes transversally in all solutions developed three so-called crosscutting priorities that are climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity and social justice and inclusion.
At the heart of RURACTIVE is a strong focus on community-led development. The project promotes the co-design and co-implementation of local solutions through the creation of Multi-Actor Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) in 12 pilot areas—called the RURACTIVE Dynamos—spread across 7 EU Member States, 2 Associated Countries, and Switzerland. These ecosystems bring together diverse stakeholders such as SMEs, universities, research centers, NGOs, local authorities, and community members, including groups often underrepresented in decision-making processes (e.g. youth, the elderly, migrants, refugees, minorities, long-term unemployed individuals, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ communities). These stakeholders are developing Local Action Plans that include place based solutions to regenerate rural areas and communities.
