Category: Living Labs

Rural revival in Galicia: Navigating Land Fragmentation for Sustainable Development

Map of Spain with a marker for Galicia 's Living Lab

In an ambitious effort to address rural decline and mitigate wildfire risks, Galicia ‘s Pilot Region is pioneering a multifaceted approach to land management. Spanning 20 municipalities across the southern expanse of the region, this initiative aims to revitalize socio-economic structures while safeguarding the environment.

At the heart of this endeavor lies a complex interplay between land use and ownership patterns. With over a million land plots scattered across 2,653 square kilometers, Galicia grapples with staggering fragmentation, hindering the development of an active agricultural sector. Despite a significant presence of landowners – numbering over 110,000 – farming activities have dwindled, with only 5,700 active farms reported in 2020.

Population dynamics further compound these challenges, with rural areas experiencing steady depopulation driven by aging demographics and youth emigration in pursuit of better opportunities. Yet, amidst this exodus, a glimmer of hope emerges: a positive net migration rate fueled by retirees returning to their roots.

The challenges

Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, Galicia’s regional administration has embarked on a comprehensive strategy, enacting legislation aimed at reclaiming agricultural land and fostering sustainable practices. Central to this effort are “model settlements” designed to encourage agricultural activity near communities, curbing vegetation encroachment and mitigating wildfire threats.

However, the road to rural revitalization is fraught with obstacles. Accessing vital information on land ownership proves arduous, while high transaction costs deter prospective farmers. Yet, the potential benefits are undeniable. Studies suggest that a resurgence in farming could bolster municipal economies by over 2.5%, breathing new life into struggling communities.

Moreover, the environmental stakes are high. As farmlands lie fallow, forests encroach, exacerbating wildfire risks exacerbated by climate change-induced droughts.

In response, Galicia’s Living Lab initiative embarks on a quest to reconcile land use and ownership. By leveraging existing data and engaging landowners, the aim is to unlock the untapped potential of underused land, fostering a symbiotic relationship between rural communities and their surroundings.

As Galicia charts a course towards a more sustainable future, the Pilot Region stands as a beacon of innovation, demonstrating the transformative power of collective action in the face of formidable challenges.

Empowering Szydłowiecki Powiat: Unleashing Potential Through Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Exciting times ahead for Szydłowiecki Powiat! Join us as we embark on a journey of entrepreneurship, innovation, and community empowerment. Together, let's unlock the region's hidden potential and pave the way for a brighter future.

Nestled in the south-western corner of the Mazowieckie voivodeship lies the Szydłowiecki powiat. A district brimming with potential yet facing its fair share of socio-economic and demographic challenges. With a strategic position along the vital S7 express road, connecting major cities like Warsaw and Kraków, this region holds promise for development. However, to harness this potential fully, a transition from a traditional farming-based economy to a more diversified and modern economic landscape is imperative.

Challenges and Opportunities:

The main challenge facing the Szydłowiecki powiat is its transition from a predominantly agrarian economy to one that is more production and consumption-oriented. This transition demands not only economic restructuring but also an increase in spatial mobility and job opportunities. Despite its strategic location, economic dynamics have been sluggish, leading to high unemployment rates, particularly among the youth. Moreover, the district grapples with population outflow, aging demographics, and infrastructure deficiencies.

However, within these challenges lie opportunities for growth. The Living Lab initiative aims to tap into these opportunities by focusing on entrepreneurship development, leveraging the region’s natural resources, cultural heritage, and strengthening local networks. With five municipalities, each with its unique strengths and proximity to urban centers, there’s potential for economic revitalization.

Living Lab: A Path to Transformation:

The Living Lab initiative seeks to address these challenges head-on by fostering entrepreneurship, promoting local heritage, and enhancing connectivity. By harnessing natural resources like sandstone, iron ore, and chocolate flint abundant in Orońsko municipality, the region can drive economic and social development. Additionally, raising awareness about local cultural heritage and traditions can attract tourism and stimulate local businesses.

Research Questions and Data Needs:

To guide this transformative journey, several research questions need to be addressed:

What are the essential components of local development potential?
Which best practices from other regions can be adapted to address local challenges?
What new data sources and collection methods are needed to understand the local challenge better?
Which data is essential to develop a local index of entrepreneurship development potential?

Empowering through Data and Collaboration:

Access to diverse data sources and collaboration among stakeholders are crucial for informed decision-making. The Living Lab will leverage secondary data, spatial information, primary data from surveys and interviews, and additional tools like Maptionnaire to fill existing data gaps. Collaboration with local communities, businesses, research institutions, and public administrations will ensure that solutions are tailored to real needs and expectations.

Building Capacities for Success:

Success in this endeavor requires building partnerships, digital competencies, and openness to modern marketing trends. By embracing innovation, creative solutions, and fostering partnerships, the Living Lab aims to unlock the full potential of Szydłowiecki powiat.

In conclusion, the Living Lab initiative holds the key to unlock the latent potential of Szydłowiecki powiat. Through entrepreneurship, leveraging natural resources, and preserving cultural heritage, this region can pave the way for sustainable development and prosperity. With collaborative efforts and data-driven insights, the journey towards transformation begins, promising a brighter future for generations to come.

community empowerment entrepreneurship innovation Living Lab Mazowieckie voivodeship Poland Szydłowiecki powiat

Exploring Climate and Environmental Transition in Italy: Parma, Piacenza & Ferrara

Delve into the heart of Italy’s tomato processing hub, where the Emilia-Romagna region hosts three provinces renowned for their pivotal role in the tomato supply chain. Italy ranks as the third-largest producer of tomatoes for processing globally, with a significant portion of this production emanating from Parma, Piacenza, and Ferrara.

Transition Focus: Climate and Environmental Challenges

The pressing issue of water management takes center stage amidst the climate and environmental transition. Intensive agricultural activities and recurring droughts amplify the demand for water, posing a threat to the vital tomato ripening cycle. As global warming reshapes natural water patterns, the region grapples with the adverse impacts, from soil erosion to hydrogeological instability.

Living Lab Challenge

In response to these challenges, the Living Lab initiative tackles the urgency of climate change, particularly focusing on water availability and management for irrigation. With water scarcity becoming increasingly prevalent, innovative solutions are imperative to ensure sustainable agricultural practices.

Rationale

Effective water management demands comprehensive governance structures and integrated monitoring systems. Despite existing weather stations and data sources, a cohesive approach to data analysis and model development is crucial for informed decision-making and resource allocation.

Policy Relevance

The water management challenge resonates beyond the agricultural sector, necessitating holistic solutions to meet the diverse needs of stakeholders. Local institutions and the Interbranch Organization (IBO) spearhead policy initiatives to address water scarcity and ensure rational development.

Research Questions

Key inquiries revolve around the development of an integrated monitoring system for water availability and needs, as well as strategies to enhance local water management effectiveness. Balancing the demands of various stakeholders remains paramount in shaping sustainable policies.

Emerging Data Needs

Robust data collection and analysis are essential for modeling water demand and distribution, especially during dry seasons. Coordinated efforts are required to harness existing data and fill knowledge gaps to mitigate the impacts of climate change effectively.

In the pursuit of sustainable agricultural practices, Italy’s Parma, Piacenza, and Ferrara regions stand at the forefront of climate adaptation and environmental stewardship. Join us as we navigate the challenges and opportunities on the path to a resilient future.

challenges Climate Emilia-Romagna enviromental Ferrara Italy Parma Piacenza Tomato Water management

Rhein-Hunsrück Region in Germany: Addressing Socio-Economic Transitions and Bridging the Gap Between Businesses and Young Talent

Living lab of Rhein-Hunsrück Region in Germany

Embarking on a journey into the heart of Germany, the Rhein-Hunsrück region emerges as a captivating landscape of both challenges and potential. Nestled in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, this predominantly rural district stands at the forefront of socio-economic and demographic transitions, navigating complexities in the face of an ageing population and a shifting employment landscape. With a keen focus on addressing these challenges, the Rhein-Hunsrück region is looking for solutions trough is participation in the RUSTIK project.

The collaboration between the Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IFLs) and the Regionalrat Wirtschaft Wirtschaftsförderung, which oversees regional economic development, aims to unravel the intricacies of socio-economic transition processes, offering a unique perspective shaped by the region’s economic development efforts and an extensive network of stakeholders. Join us as we delve into the dynamics of Rhein-Hunsrück, where the journey towards sustainable change unfolds against the backdrop of demographic shifts and the pursuit of a more vibrant, attractive future for both businesses and the emerging workforce.

Key District Statistics:

Area: 99,107 hectares
Population Density: 107.3 inhabitants/km²
Population: 64,568 enterprises
Majority: Nearly 4,430 small and very small businesses (fewer than 50 employees)
Larger Businesses: Only 21 with more than 250 employees

Transition Focus: Socio-economic and Demographic Challenges:

Facing socio-economic and demographic challenges, Rhein-Hunsrück experiences a shortage of skilled workers across various industries, with unfilled training and apprenticeship positions. The region, while economically sound, struggles to attract and retain a diverse workforce.

Living Lab Challenge: Bridging Gaps in Talent and Job Opportunities

Within the Rhein-Hunsrück region, the pivotal challenge focuses on addressing the mismatch between job opportunities and the skilled workforce. Despite the region’s favorable economic standing, there’s a shortage of skilled workers across various industries, with unfilled training and apprenticeship positions adding to the complexity. The challenge also extends to essential services, particularly in medical and nursing care, raising concerns about the region’s ability to attract and retain talent. This Living Lab endeavors to analyze this “mismatching problem” comprehensively, aiming to understand the specific needs and aspirations of both local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and diverse groups of young individuals. By exploring innovative solutions, the Living Lab seeks to strengthen connections, foster collaboration, and initiate new networks to overcome these challenges.

Rationale and Policy Relevance:

As a crucial link between economic development and creating an attractive living and working environment, the Living Lab addresses challenges identified through discussions with local stakeholders. The project aligns with state-level strategies for skilled workers and demographic change, recognizing the need for holistic solutions.

Research Questions and Emerging Data Needs:

The Living Lab seeks to answer questions about challenges faced by SMEs in filling training and job vacancies, the requirements of young people in the region, and how new data can improve the match between supply and demand. Emerging data needs include detailed insights from both enterprises and young people.

Data Availability and Limitations:

While statistical data on apprenticeships, job openings, and demographic information is available, limitations exist in linking this data at the NUTS 3 level. The challenge lies in obtaining accurate information about job seekers and apprenticeship seekers, as not all positions are reported to employment agencies.

The Living Lab Rhein-Hunsrück represents a proactive effort to bridge the gap between available opportunities and the potential workforce, ensuring a sustainable and vibrant future for the region.

Germany IFLs Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning Living Lab living labs Regionalrat Wirtschaft Wirtschaftsförderung Rhein-Hunsrück Rhineland-Palatinate

Navigating Immigration Integration: North Karelia’s Pathway to Sustainable Growth

Nestled in the eastern reaches of Finland, North Karelia emerges as a unique region, standing as the easternmost within the continental EU. Approximately 450 km away from the bustling capital, Helsinki, this expanse boasts a population of 162,540 individuals, with a sparse density of 7.1 inhabitants per km². The distinctive character of North Karelia is underscored by the fact that about 50% of its population resides in rural areas, contributing to its predominantly rural ambiance.

Transition Focus: Socio-economic and Demographic Dynamics

In the spotlight of North Karelia is the imminent socio-economic and demographic transition. This shift gains significance due to the region’s dwindling and aging population, presenting a formidable challenge. In response, the North Karelian Living Lab takes center stage, aligning its efforts to craft innovative strategies, plans, and policies that address the pressing need for managing demographic changes.

Key Challenges and Their Ramifications

The identified challenges in North Karelia are manifold. A declining and aging population, coupled with the shortage of skilled labor, long-term unemployment, immigrant retention, and regional accessibility, paints a complex picture. The concentration of the population in the regional center, Joensuu, poses a threat to essential services like healthcare, transportation, and infrastructure in rural areas. The aging demographic impacts the availability of skilled labor, leading to lower tax revenues and potential strains on public services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the trend of multilocal working in Finland, making North Karelia an attractive destination for those seeking a blend of remote work and rural living. However, setbacks in regional accessibility, such as reduced regional flights and the closure of the Saimaa Canal Sea connection, pose challenges.

Living Lab Challenge: Immigrant Retention

Against this backdrop, the North Karelian Living Lab identifies immigrant retention as its focal challenge. Recognizing the role of immigration in mitigating population decline, the region aims to enhance strategies that promote settlement and integration, ensuring that immigrants become long-term contributors to the region’s growth.

Research Questions and Rationale

Rationale:

The Regional Council of North Karelia (RCNK), representing 13 municipalities, holds a pivotal role in immigrants’ integration promotion. With Finland undergoing a comprehensive reform of the Integration Act, set to take effect in 2025, the municipalities’ responsibility for integration promotion is heightened. The RUSTIK project aligns with this reform, providing crucial data to support efficient integration services and improve immigrants’ settlement in North Karelia.

Research Questions:

What is the current status of immigration and integration promotion in the North Karelian municipalities?
How can the introduction of new forms of data into the policy process support targeted integration promotion in the municipalities?

Emerging Data Needs

In the upcoming phase of the North Karelian Living Lab, generating comprehensive, up-to-date data takes center stage. Three key areas of focus include:

Status of Immigration and Integration:

Population trends
Jobs by sector
Immigrant backgrounds

Integration aspects (work, housing, participation, health, and well-being):

Integration Promotion Programs:
Analysis of current programs
Benchmarking with international models

Goal setting and monitoring methods:

Immigrant Experiences:
Maptionnaire survey on well-being and challenges
Narratives on integration and settlement

Data Availability and Limitations

While national quantitative data sources, including Statistics Finland, will be instrumental, a desk study on integration programs and interviews with municipal representatives will complement the research. Challenges may arise in collecting experiential data from immigrants due to language barriers and the need to establish trust. The Maptionnaire survey will be a valuable tool, distributed through stakeholders, including educational institutions, civil society organizations, and employers.

Capacities

The Living Lab partners, equipped with expertise in data analysis, have strong relations with municipalities. While accessing statistical data poses minimal challenges, additional support may be required for setting up the Maptionnaire survey and ensuring its accessibility across various languages spoken by immigrants.

As North Karelia gears up to navigate these transitions, the RUSTIK project emerges as a beacon, shedding light on the intricate dynamics shaping the region’s future. Stay tuned as we embark on this transformative journey!

Finland Immigration Integration Living Lab North Karelia Rural Development

Troyan-Apriltsi-Ugаrchin, Bulgaria: Navigating the Unknown Potential of Rural Food Systems

Nestled in the heart of the Balkans, the Troyan-Apriltsi-Ugаrchin (TAU) region in Bulgaria stands as a pilot for transformative initiatives. Covering Troyan, Apriltsi, and Ugarchin municipalities, this area spans 1,650.2 km² with a population of 33,858. TAU is positioned strategically, just 150 km northeast of Sofia, with a pivotal role in connecting the capital to the Black Sea.

Transition Focus: Socio-economic and Demographic Shifts

The TAU region faces socio-economic and demographic challenges, with depopulation at its core. The informal economy, job nature, and ethnic segregation contribute to this issue. Despite rich natural resources, the region struggles to capitalize on them for economic and social development.

Living Lab Challenge: Navigating the Unknown Potential of Rural Food Systems

The primary challenge identified in TAU revolves around understanding the untapped potential of the rural food system to address socio-economic and demographic transitions. Data gaps in the linkages between food production and consumption, as well as the lack of cooperation between local actors, hinder progress. TAU aims to foster rural food systems, bridge gaps between vocational schools and local businesses, and tackle issues like unfair payments and undeclared jobs in the agri-food sector.

Rationale: Spotlight on Food as a Unifying Force

Food emerges as a pivotal focus for TAU, transcending differences and offering a lens to examine public and private practices. The lack of policy support in this domain highlights a significant data gap. By concentrating on food systems, the experiment aims to delve into demographic change and social inequalities.

Policy Relevance: Paving the Way for Rural Food Policy

TAU lacks a comprehensive rural food policy. The Rustik experiment strives to fill this void by providing knowledge, data, and models for its development. Aligning with regional and local policies, the experiment could address depopulation concerns and promote sustainable economic growth through food-related initiatives.

Research Questions: Unveiling the Dynamics of Rural Food Systems

The experiment seeks answers to crucial questions:

How does the rural food system impact local entrepreneurship and depopulation trends?
What role do family gardens play in local economies and socio-economic inequalities?
How do rural food systems interact with urban economies, and which urban economies influence them?
Can the preservation of local food traditions contribute to community resilience and a sense of identity?
What factors make the local food sector attractive to newcomers and tourists, promoting sustainable local economies?

Emerging Data Needs: Bridging the Knowledge Gap

The experiment faces a lack of data on various aspects, such as the local population’s access to fresh, seasonal, and local food, cooperation between vocational schools and local agri-food businesses, and the role of family gardens in sustaining local food traditions. To address this, new and existing sources are being explored to create a comprehensive rural food map.

Data Availability: Sources to Fuel the Experiment

The experiment relies on a mix of available data sources, including registers of farmers, food processing enterprises, social kitchens, and more. However, limitations arise due to the non-public nature of certain datasets, hindering a granular analysis.

Challenges and Capacities: Navigating the Road Ahead

Challenges include limited access to crucial datasets and the absence of registers, such as that of family gardens. However, partners involved possess the necessary competencies to overcome these challenges, with additional capacity available if required.

As the Rustik experiment unfolds in TAU, it promises not only to uncover the potential of rural food systems but also to pave the way for informed policies that can foster sustainable development, address depopulation concerns, and contribute to the region’s resilience and identity. Stay tuned for updates as TAU embarks on this transformative journey.

Bulgaria Demographic change LivingLab Rural Development Rural Food Systems RUSTIK Rustik Experiment TAU Troyan-Apriltsi-Ugаrchin

RUSTIK Living Lab in Austria’s Nockregion-Oberkärnten – Navigating the Future: Small Rural Businesses in Focus

Welcome to the inaugural Living Lab Report for the Austrian Pilot Region, Nockregion-Oberkärnten, situated in the heart of the Central Alps within Carinthia’s southernmost province. Covering 1,324 km² and encompassing 17 municipalities, this region grapples with the persistent challenge of population decline. With only 15% dedicated to permanent settlement, the economic landscape thrives on key sectors like tourism, agriculture, forestry, trade, industry, and construction.