Against the backdrop of shrinking populations, new strategies for maintaining services of general interest in European rural areas are required at both a European and a German level. With regard to this, the field of post-school education as a service of general interest is seen as playing an...

The 2nd Preparatory Action on Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century (Smart Rural 27 project) was launched by the European Commission on 21 December 2020 with the aim to "prepare Member States and rural communities to the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020 as well as...

The purpose of the 'Support for Smart Villages in the CAP Strategic Plans' report carried out in the framework of the 2nd Preparatory Action - Smart areas in the 21th century - is to provide an overview on how Smart Villages concept has been programmed in the 2023-2027 CAP Strategic Plans (CAP...

The Preparatory Action on Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century (Bis), was running from December 2020 to May 2024 and aimed to prepare Member States and rural communities for the implementation of Smart Villages within the Common Agricultural Policy post-2020, as well as other EU policies which...

Smart Villages is a relatively new concept that was first formulated by the European Commission - at the initiation of the European Parliament through the EU Action for Smart Villages in 2017. The 1st Preparatory Action on Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century (called Smart Rural 21 project,...

While agriculture remains a key source of livelihoods in rural Africa, employment in other economic sectors is gaining in importance. However, details of the labor conditions are under-researched. Here, we examine labor conditions in different sectors of the rural economy using survey data from...

Twenty years have passed since the first eastern enlargements of the European Union (EU). This paper assesses the impacts of EU accession on agriculture and rural regions of Central and Eastern European countries and identifies the reasons behind differences in country performance. Results...

This study aims to explore the potential association between the performance of the stock market and the growth of the rural economy in China. It examines the impact of regional market volatility on rural macroeconomic indicators, which functions through the equity price fluctuations of locally...

This study examines the complex relationships between rainfall shocks, agricultural productivity, and rural economic activity in Rajasthan, India's largest state. Using district-level agricultural data from 1990 to 2015, enterprise surveys from 2010 to 2016, and household consumption data from...

This study examines whether leaders’ unethical behaviours discourage people from participating in activities initiated by community-based programmes, and whether the impact of unethical leadership is moderated by the genders of leaders and community members. We conducted a vignette experiment...

We examine the impact of rural road connectivity on economic and social outcomes in the context of India’s PMGSY, the world’s largest rural road program. Using a novel village-level survey explicitly designed around PMGSY’s rollout, we exploit quasi-random variation in road placement to...

Sub-Saharan Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rural women dis- proportionately affected due to pre-existing gender inequalities that both increase their need for adaptation and constrain their ability to adopt strategies. This paper reviews empirical evidence on key barriers to...

Couchsurfing, a non-commercial form of accommodation, has become a way of life for travellers who want to open to other cultures and exchange with the inhabitants of the countries or regions they are visiting in a more active and authentic way. Despite the growing number of studies on...

Place-specific socioeconomic features are unique and, unlike first-nature geography, are shaped and reshaped by human and institutional interactions. In Ethiopia, however, policy thinking has not progressed much beyond first-nature geography, overlooking the multidimensional socio-spatial...

This research examines the heterogeneous impact of out-migration on the informal employment within the framework of rural transformation in Nepal. Employing a multinomial Probit model with instrumental variables, we analyze the influence of household-level migration on the informal employment...

The European Commission has increasingly highlighted the importance of fostering conditions that support the emergence and flourishing of innovation and entrepreneurship across all regions. The Long-Term Vision for EU's Rural Areas recognises the key role that innovation can play in revitalising...

The study investigates how microfnance interventions and the entrepreneurial engagement of Self-Help Group (SHGs) members impact women's social and economic empowerment in rural communities. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative insights...

Our understanding of rural areas in the EU is limited by the lack of comparable geographies. Good analysis is built on spatial units that have similar characteristics. For example, they should be similar in size and capture a similar type of territory. For rural areas, regions are too big and...

Innovation and entrepreneurship can play a central role in revitalizing rural areas and turning them into places of opportunity. This report, part of the Startup Village Forum initiative's research activities, explores four cases of rural villages or groups of villages on their journey toward...

This publication includes a set of examples of projects in rural areas from 23 Member States and four cross-border regions to showcase the long-lasting impact of the cohesion policy on the ground. The examples are structured around the following themes, among others: the green transition, the...

This publication includes a set of examples of projects in rural areas from 23 Member States and four cross-border regions to showcase the long-lasting impact of the cohesion policy on the ground. The examples are structured around the following themes, among others: the green transition, the...

Overall, 92 projects were submitted from 20 Member States under four thematic categories: Smart & competitive agriculture, Environmental protection, Socio-economic fabric of rural areas, and Rural stakeholders' skills. This brochure showcases the 24 ARIA finalists and highlights the winner of...

This study analyses the role of tourism in rural development. It explores the challenges and opportunities for public authorities interested in boosting their rural tourism profiles and making tourism an effective tool for rural development. The study highlights the relationship between the...

Overall, 92 projects were submitted from 20 Member States under four thematic categories: Smart & competitive agriculture, Environmental protection, Socio-economic fabric of rural areas, and Rural stakeholders' skills. This brochure showcases the 24 ARIA finalists and highlights the winner of...

Investments in infrastructure are necessary to achieve the objective of Sustainable Development Goal2 (SDG2), which is to "end hunger, ensure food security and promote sustainable agriculture" and to also create jobs in the Sahel region, specifically in Niger and Côte d'Ivoire. A significant...

Our use of longitudinal register data combined with a unique survey allows us to offer a more comprehensive picture of rural self-employment than in previous studies. We find that selfemployed in rural settings are more likely than those in metropolitan regions to employ others, but...