RUSTIK at the XI International Conference on Localised Agri-food Systems

From 1 to 4 September 2026, RUSTIK took part in the XI International Conference on Localised Agri-food Systems, hosted at the International Land Use Study Centre (ILUSC), James Hutton Institute, in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The conference brought together researchers and practitioners to explore how localised agri-food systems can be strengthened and future-proofed in the face of interconnected environmental, economic, social and political crises. Discussions were organised around three core themes: mapping territorial trajectories of localised agri-food systems; territorial responses to intersecting crises; and valuing local food systems and local territories.

On 2 September, Petya Slavova of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski presented RUSTIK research entitled “Going beyond short food supply chains while exploring local restaurants as a progressive place.” Her presentation focused on the Central Balkan area of Bulgaria—covering Troyan, Apriltsi and Ugarchin—and examined the role that local restaurants can play in connecting food, people and place.

 

Beyond short supply chains

Petya’s research moves beyond a narrow understanding of local food as a product sourced nearby. It investigates restaurants as active intermediaries within localised food systems: places that can make local producers more visible, create meaningful links between visitors and suppliers, and support a stronger connection to local landscapes, culinary traditions and community life.

The work identified 64 restaurants in the Troyan area and developed a typology based on food sourcing, cuisine and the guests attracted. It distinguished between:

  • 39 “globalised” restaurants
  • 15 “glocalised” restaurants
  • 10 “localised” restaurants

The findings highlight that many suppliers to localised restaurants are family farms and household producers, including informal and small-scale actors that often remain overlooked in conventional food-system analysis.

 

Making local food visible

The research combined interviews with restaurant owners and food suppliers, local-menu experiments, information leaflets for restaurant guests, customer questionnaires and a 24-week online logbook tracking menu sales.

Participating restaurants introduced local menus comprising five dishes, with 80% of ingredients sourced locally. The results suggest that clearly communicating the local origin of food can make a tangible difference: dishes promoted as locally sourced recorded a weekly increase of 30% per food category. Restaurant visitors also showed strong interest in learning more about suppliers, with information leaflets helping to create direct connections between customers and local producers.

The research also found that local ingredients—including seasonal wild products such as nettles, mushrooms and herbs—can contribute to biodiversity, support local culinary heritage and create supplementary income opportunities for vulnerable groups and low-income households.

 

A shared vision for rural areas

RUSTIK’s participation in Aberdeen contributed to the conference debate on how localised agri-food systems can support resilient rural territories. Petya’s presentation underlined that restaurants are not simply commercial outlets: they can act as “progressive places” where local food, cultural identity, environmental resources and social relationships come together.

Recognising and strengthening the role of family farms, small-scale producers, local cuisine and localised restaurants can help rural areas build more inclusive and place-based pathways for endogenous development. Through this work, RUSTIK continues to explore how better data, stronger connections and greater visibility for local actors can support more sustainable and resilient rural futures.

RUSTIK at the Reallaborkonferenz 2026 in Cologne

RUSTIK will be present at the Reallaborkonferenz 2026, taking place from 16 to 17 September 2026 at TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Campus Leverkusen, under the theme “Zurück in die Zukunft? Reallabore in Zeiten disruptiven Wandels” (“Back to the future? Living labs in times of disruptive change”).

Two members of the RUSTIK consortium, Daria Ernst (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research, BAB, Austria) and Svea Thietje (Institute for Rural Development Research, IfLS, Germany — RUSTIK’s coordinating institution), will both attend the conference and will present their work back-to-back in the same parallel session: “Regionen, Stadt-Land-Beziehungen, territoriale Transformation” (Regions, urban-rural relations, territorial transformation), scheduled on Wednesday, 16 September, from 14:30 to 16:00.

Daria Ernst (BAB) will present “Konzeption und Umsetzung von Living Labs in ländlichen Regionen” (Design and implementation of living labs in rural areas), co-authored with Ingrid Machold, drawing on BAB’s experience coordinating RUSTIK’s Austrian Living Lab in the Nockregion-Oberkärnten.

Svea Thietje (IfLS) will present “Living Labs im Umgang mit sozialen Herausforderungen in ländlichen Räumen” (Living labs addressing social challenges in rural areas), co-authored with Sarah Peter and Simone Sterly, building on IfLS’s cross-country work analysing social inclusion challenges across several RUSTIK Living Labs.

The two presentations offer complementary perspectives from within the same project — one on the design and setup of living labs, the other on their social impact — providing session attendees with a joined-up view of RUSTIK’s approach to rural transformation.

Both talks build directly on RUSTIK’s mission to strengthen rural resilience and innovation through participatory living-lab approaches, and their joint appearance in the same session offers a strong opportunity to showcase complementary perspectives from the project — one centred on the design and setup of living labs, the other on their social impact — to a highly engaged audience of researchers and practitioners in transdisciplinary and real-world lab research.

The Reallaborkonferenz 2026 gathers a broad community working on real-world labs (“Reallabore”) across Germany and beyond, with a programme spanning keynotes, parallel workshops, doctoral and student tracks, and thematic sessions on topics such as governance, evaluation, transfer, and territorial transformation. RUSTIK’s participation reinforces the project’s ongoing dialogue with the wider living-lab and real-world-lab research community on shared challenges around rural transformation.

From Data to Action: Explore the RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference Report

Europe’s rural future is being shaped right now, and the new RUSTIK & GRANULAR Joint Final Conference report shows how. It brings together four years of joint work and two intense days of discussion in Brussels on turning granular evidence into smarter, fairer rural policies.

A window into Europe’s rural future

Held in June 2026, the final conference gathered more than 150 participants: EU policymakers, researchers, local development practitioners, LAGs and civil society organisations. It was a rare moment where people working on the ground and people designing policies sat together to ask a simple question: how do we make rural territories visible—and heard—in decision-making?

The report captures those conversations in an accessible way, making it ideal reading if you care about rural transitions, territorial intelligence or place-based policy.

Consult here the full report

Day 1: Understanding rural complexity

The first day of the conference zoomed in on “Evidence, data & tools to measure rural territorial complexity.” You’ll find in the report:

  • Keynotes explaining why functional rural areas and granular data matter more than old urban–rural labels.
  • Roundtables on new data sources—from mobility datasets to qualitative evidence—and what it really takes for institutions to turn numbers into action.
  • Practical tools and analytical frameworks that help reveal the diversity of rural territories rather than hiding it behind averages.

This is not just theory; it’s about giving local and regional actors the instruments they need to argue for tailored solutions.

Day 2: Making rural-proofed policies real

The second day turned from “what we know” to “what we do with it,” under the theme “From evidence to action: delivering place-based policies and rural proofing in the EU.”

In the report, you can explore:

  • Concrete rural proofing methodologies tested in different territories.
  • The idea of decentralised rural proofing, where regions themselves assess how policies affect their communities.
  • Debates on how to embed rural proofing across the whole policy cycle, as an ongoing governance process rather than a one-off checklist.

If you’re wondering how to move from pilots and projects to long-term change, these sections offer grounded reflections and examples.

Voices and stories from Living Labs

One of the most inspiring parts of the report is the variety of voices: from Welsh counties and French tourist regions to Italian, Scottish and Bulgarian cases. You’ll read how Living Labs:

  • Combine local knowledge with quantitative data to make “invisible” territorial dynamics visible.
  • Engage young people, migrants and other often-overlooked groups in shaping rural transition strategies.
  • Use dashboards, mapping and participatory tools to help communities and policymakers work from the same evidence base.

These experiences show that rural areas are not just sites of challenge but of innovation, creativity and opportunity.

Why you should read it, and share it

If you are:

  • A policymaker: the report offers concrete approaches to rural proofing and territorial intelligence you can adapt.
  • A researcher: it shows how your work can connect to policy processes and local knowledge.
  • A practitioner or active citizen: it gives you language, examples and tools to advocate for place-based rural solutions in your own territory.

By reading and sharing the report, you help ensure that the lessons from RUSTIK & GRANULAR continue to inform Europe’s rural future well beyond the lifetime of the projects.

Visit the RUSTIK website, download the Joint Final Conference report, and let it inspire your next steps towards more just, resilient and opportunity-rich rural territories.

RUSTIK at REROOTED Seminar on Demographic Change in Rural Territories

On 8 July 2026, the EU‑funded REROOTED project will host the online seminar “Assessing impacts of demographic trends in rural territories. Research methods in Europe and Japan” (8:30–11:30 CEST / 15:30–18:30 JPT) on MS Teams.

Demographic change in rural areas is a growing concern worldwide, with Japan offering long‑term evidence of demographic decline while many European regions are only beginning to experience and measure similar trends.

The seminar will explore how demographic trends in rural territories are defined and assessed, which social, economic and environmental dimensions are considered, and how different data and methods can be used to identify and classify rural clusters.

 

RUSTIK contribution: functional rural areas and resilience

Francesco Mantino, WP1 leader in the RUSTIK project (“Conceptualising functional rural areas, transition, and resilience of rural areas”), has been invited to present RUSTIK’s work in Round 2 of the seminar.

His talk, “Exploring Diversity in the Rural Continuum: Insights from the RUSTIK Project”, will showcase the project’s methodological framework for analysing diverse functional rural areas, with a focus on transitions and resilience.

In particular, the presentation will highlight:

  • How RUSTIK defines and operationalises functional rural areas in relation to wider territorial systems.
  • The variables, indicators and information needs identified to analyse key transition themes affecting rural territories.
  • Approaches to assessing the resilience capacity of different rural areas and their responses to ongoing demographic and socio‑economic transitions.

By connecting these elements, the session will underline how RUSTIK’s conceptual and empirical work can support better‑informed policies and strategies for rural regions facing demographic change.

 

Dialogue with Japanese case studies and EU projects

The seminar programme is structured in two rounds.

The first round presents Japanese case studies, including research on landscape maintainability under demographic shrinkage, co‑creative planning in Obuse Town (Nagano) and rural inmigration and gentrification in Niseko driven by ski tourism. These contributions provide rich examples of how long‑term demographic decline is measured and managed, and offer valuable insights for European researchers.

The second round brings together evidence from major EU projects: GRANULAR on demographic expansion in rapid‑growth rural areas, RUSTIK on the rural continuum and functional rural areas, and the EU Rural Observatory on demographic trends in rural regions. This combination of perspectives will foster a comparative dialogue on data, methods and indicators across different territorial and institutional contexts.

 

Organisation and invitation

The seminar is organised within REROOTED’s WP1 “Understanding driving forces and impacts of demographic trends in rural EU”, and specifically Task 1.1 “Narratives and indicators of demographic change”. It is coordinated by Claudia Cassatella and Enrico Gottero (Politecnico di Torino), together with Chika Takatori (University of Tokyo), and will close with a final discussion moderated by Christian Fertner (University of Copenhagen).

JOIN THE EVENT HERE

RUSTIK at the 4th European Rural Geographies Conference

The 4th European Rural Geographies Conference took place in Porto, Portugal from 22 to 26 June 2026, hosted by the University of Porto under the theme “Reinventing Rural Spaces: Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability in a Changing World”. The event brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe to exchange knowledge on the futures of rural territories.

RUSTIK contributed to this year’s programme with two posters and one oral presentation, reflecting the project’s work across social inclusion, transdisciplinary methods, and digital innovation in rural areas.

 

Two Posters, Two Perspectives

The poster session featured two RUSTIK contributions, from the Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS), the institution that coordinates the RUSTIK project.

Poster 1 — Comparing Social Inclusion Challenges in Rural Europe

“Comparing Social Inclusion Challenges in Rural Europe: Insights from Four RUSTIK Living Labs”,by Svea Thietje, Sarah Peter, and Carla Wember (IfLS).

Social and spatial inequalities increasingly shape rural development across Europe, yet their manifestations remain highly context-specific and are often poorly captured by existing data. Rural regions face challenges such as demographic change, limited services, and uneven development opportunities. The perspectives of under-represented groups are frequently missing from policy processes, highlighting the need for more participatory forms of knowledge production. Drawing on four RUSTIK Living Labs, this poster compares how different regions approach social inclusion challenges and explores what participatory methods can contribute to policy and practice.

Poster 2 — Knowledge through Transdisciplinary Methods

“Integrating System, Target and Transformation Knowledge through Transdisciplinary Methods: Insights from 14 Rural Living Labs in Europe” by Simone Sterly, and Carla Wember (IfLS).

This poster takes a project-wide perspective, presenting findings from all 14 RUSTIK Living Labs operating across 14 Pilot Regions in 10 European countries. It documents how Living Labs have experimented with new data collection and analysis tools, developed policy panoramas and transition narratives, built Theories of Change, and tested Decentralised Rural Proofing to address their specific transition challenges. The Integrating System, Target and Transformation framework is presented as a methodological contribution for structuring and advancing rural sustainability transitions.

 

Oral Presentation — Digital Innovation in Rural Areas

On 23 June, RUSTIK also featured in the oral session PS 3.6 · Changes, New Methods and Digital Innovation in Rural Areas (FCUP Auditorium FC6-029), chaired by Hossein Azadi, University of Ghent.

Under submission No. #100, Daniel Keech, Katarina Kubinakova, Aimee Morse, and Demelza Jones from the Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire (UK) presented:

“Rural functions and digital transition: lessons from western England”

The presentation drew directly on the work of the Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire Living Labs — two of the RUSTIK Living Labs based in western England and Wales. The Gloucestershire Living Lab has focused on digital inclusion and data innovation, while the Monmouthshire Living Lab has explored demographic change through participatory mapping and dashboard tools. Together, they offer concrete evidence of how digital transition in rural areas requires social innovation alongside technological change — a key insight the presentation brings to the Porto audience.

 

Beyond RUSTIK’s Own Contributions

The RUSTIK presence at the conference extends beyond the project’s direct submissions. On 22 June, the Opening Session featured an inaugural lecture by Marion Eckardt from the ELARD Knowledge Hub — a RUSTIK consortium partner — under the title “From Practice to Policy: A Practitioner’s Journey Through the Development of Rural Europe”. It is a reminder that the conversation between research and practice lies at the core of what RUSTIK set out to do.

If you are attending the conference, the RUSTIK team looks forward to seeing you in Porto.

RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference

CHECK THE AGENDA

 

The GRANULAR and RUSTIK projects are pleased to invite you to their joint Final Conference, taking place on 24–25 June 2026 at Fondation Universitaire in Brussels, Belgium.

Objectives

  • Present and discuss the key results of the GRANULAR and RUSTIK Horizon Europe projects.
  • Showcase the tools and policy recommendations developed over the past four years.
  • Share insights and experiences from the GRANULAR and RUSTIK Multi-Actor Labs / Living Labs.
  • Facilitate exchange and networking among stakeholders working on rural development and innovation.

Programme Overview

Day 1 – 24 June (13:30–18:00)
Focus on the main research findings and outputs from both projects, including local perspectives and contributions from external speakers.
The day will conclude with a networking drink.

Day 2 – 25 June (09:00–14:00)
Explore future perspectives for rural policies and present practical, on-the-ground experiences based on the projects’ impact.
The conference will close with a networking lunch.

Who should attend?

This two-day event will bring together project partners, policymakers, practitioners, and rural stakeholders interested in rural development and innovation.

Important information

Please note that participants are responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs.

Heading to Brussels? Find everything you need to plan your trip in our Participants toolkit.

Event details

  • Location: Fondation Universitaire (Rue d’Egmont 11, 1000 Brussels, Belgium)
  • Dates: 24–25 June 2026
  • Language: English

 

CHECK THE AGENDA

*Registration is now closed!

Save the Date: RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference

The RUSTIK and GRANULAR projects will hold their joint Final Conference on 24–25 June 2026 at Fondation Universitaire in Brussels, Belgium.

The two-day event will bring together project partners, policymakers, practitioners and rural stakeholders to share key results and discuss future perspectives for rural development and innovation.

On the first day (24 June, 13:30–18:00), the programme will focus on presenting the main research outputs from both projects, including local perspectives and contributions from external speakers. The session will conclude with a networking drink.

The second day (25 June, 09:00–14:00) will look ahead to the future of rural policies and highlight practical, on-the-ground experiences based on the two projects impact. The conference will close with a networking lunch.

More information, including registration details and the full agenda, will be available soon. Stay tuned!

RUSTIK Regional Dissemination Event in the UK: Creating Sustainable Rural Futures Through Data and Tools

The RUSTIK Regional Dissemination Event in the UK will take place on Thursday, 20 November 2025, from 13:00 to 16:30 GMT at the historic Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester.

This half-day event, titled “Creating Sustainable Rural Futures through New Data and Tools,” will bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders to explore how innovative data approaches and participatory mapping can inform more resilient and inclusive rural strategies.

 

Event Highlights

The afternoon will open with a welcome and introduction by Professor Matthew Reed, Director of the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Head of Research at the University of Gloucestershire. His remarks will set the tone for a dynamic discussion on rural sustainability, grounded in regional and European perspectives.

Participants will then hear an overview of work from the UK Living Labs, presented by the RUSTIK and GRANULAR project teams. Confirmed speakers include:

A panel discussion will follow, exploring the role of spatial data and mapping tools in strengthening community engagement and shaping effective local policy.
Panellists include:

After a short coffee break, a series of lightning talks will highlight innovative approaches to using local data in rural policy development. Presenters include Michael Woods (Aberystwyth University) and Scott Orford (Cardiff University).

The afternoon will continue with facilitated group discussions, inviting participants to share their insights and ideas on the future use of local data for sustainable rural policies. The event will close with a plenary session, gathering key takeaways and reflections, led by the RUSTIK UK team.

 

Why Attend

This event offers a valuable platform to:

  • Discover how data-driven tools and participatory methods are reshaping rural development.
  • Exchange knowledge and experiences across research, policy, and practice.
  • Contribute to ongoing discussions on evidence-based, locally grounded strategies for rural sustainability.

Attendees can expect lively debate, hands-on insights, and new connections to support rural innovation in the UK and across Europe.

 

Building on Previous Regional Workshops

This UK dissemination event builds on the success of previous RUSTIK regional workshops, including recent sessions in Galicia, which focused on multi-actor approaches to rural sustainability, and earlier discussions on innovative responses to rural demographic shifts, in Finland.

Together, these events highlight the growing importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and adaptive, data-informed strategies in shaping the future of rural regions.

 

Check the AGENDA!

 

Rural Proofing in Action: Making Policies Work for Rural Areas through Data and Earth Observation

Tuesday, 14 October 2025 |  16:00–17:30 CET | SQUARE Brussels, Rooms 213–215

As part of this year’s EU Regions Week, join us in Brussels for a high-level, interactive session on “Rural Proofing: Making Policies Work for Rural Areas through Data and Earth Observation.” This session will explore how innovative tools, Earth observation, and data-driven approaches can help tailor policies that leave no rural territory behind.

Hosted in collaboration with the GRANULAR, VALORADA, and RUSTIK projects, this event will highlight practical solutions to territorial challenges and examine how rural proofing can be better integrated into multi-level governance and policy development.

What to Expect

The session kicks off with a panel discussion featuring experts from the European Commission, OECD, and local and regional governments. They will share insights into how rural proofing is being applied across different levels of governance and how coordinated efforts can ensure fairer, more inclusive policy outcomes.

Following the panel, participants will take part in interactive peer-review discussions, engaging directly with initiatives from the GRANULAR, VALORADA, and RUSTIK projects. These real-world examples show how rural proofing has been applied to support rural communities and make policies more responsive to local needs.

It will be the opportunity to hear from two of RUSTIK living labs, with Petri Kahila, researcher at the University of eastern Finland and Karelian institute, and Francesco Mantino from the council for agricultural research and economics (CREA).

Why Attend?
  • Learn from EU and international rural policy experts.
  • Engage with cutting-edge research and projects using data and Earth observation.
  • Network with policymakers, researchers, and local leaders.
  • Contribute to shaping smarter, fairer rural development strategies.
Featured Speakers
  • Alexia Rouby – Administrator, European Commission.
  • Betty-Ann Bryce – Policy Expert, OECD.
  • Christos Moutsios – Secretary-General, Region of Central Greece.
Moderator:
  • Jack van der Hoek – Mayor, Municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland.
 Practical Details
  • Session Title: Rural Proofing: Making Policies Work for Rural Areas through Data and Earth Observation.
  • Date & Time: Tuesday, 14 October 2025 | 16:00–17:30 CET.
  • Location: Square Brussels, Rooms 213–215.
  • Format: Interactive session.
  • Language: English.
  • Theme: The Right to Stay: Unlocking the Potential of Every Territory.

Registration: Session Full – Check the EU Regions Week platform for updates

This session aligns with the European Commission’s long-term vision for rural areas and reinforces the right of all citizens to live, work, and thrive in the territory of their choice.

We look forward to welcoming you to a vibrant exchange of ideas and practices that can truly make a difference in rural policy.

RUSTIK Workshop on Exploring Multi-Actor Approaches to Rural Sustainability in Galicia

RUSTIK, in collaboration with the Granular and Down to Earth projects, held it second regional workshop on October 9, 2025 in Sober, Galicia (Spain). This event brought together a

wide range of participants—from researchers and practitioners to local and regional policymakers—to explore collaborative approaches to rural sustainability and development.

The workshop responds to pressing, interconnected challenges faced in Galicia and many rural areas across Europe, including depopulation, land abandonment, and increased wildfire risks. These issues require systemic responses and a stronger integration between science, community actors, and governance structures.

Focus of the Workshop:

The session explored the Living Labs and multi-actor approach as tools to support multilevel governance and evidence-based policymaking. Through structured, participatory exercises, the goal was to identify what is working, what gaps remain, and how these methodologies can meaningfully contribute to regional development strategies.

 

Field Visit: Aldea Modelo Francos de Proendos (Sober)

As part of the workshop, participants took part in a field visit to Francos de Proendos, a small village in the municipality of Sober (Lugo) designated as a “Model Village” (Aldea Modelo) by the regional government of Galicia in January 2022.

What is a “Model Village”?

The Aldea Modelo initiative, led by AGADER and the Xunta de Galicia, is designed to revive abandoned rural land, promote sustainable land use (agriculture, extensive grazing, agroforestry), and create natural firebreaks to reduce wildfire risk.

Key facts about Francos de Proendos:

  • Covers 16.81 hectares, of which 12.87 hectares are usable.
  • Includes 119 land plots belonging to 70 different owners.
  • Land is integrated into the Galician Land Bank, allowing local producers to lease it for sustainable use while owners retain ownership and receive an annual payment.
  • Target uses include extensive livestock farming, short-cycle vegetable production, and woody crops like fruit trees.

Cultural and Environmental Context

In addition to its innovative land use model, Francos de Proendos also holds rich cultural heritage, such as the Romanesque Church of Santa María de Proendos (12th century), which features reused Roman materials and 16th-century wall paintings.

Why Visit Francos de Proendos?

The field visit offered a unique opportunity to:

  • Understand how multi-actor governance and community-based land management work on the ground.
  • Explore how Living Labs can serve as real-life platforms for aligning scientific, community, and policy interests.
  • Witness practical efforts to revitalize rural areas through integrated environmental, social, and economic strategies.