The PoliRuralPlus project tackles the challenge of creating a more balanced and prosperous future for both urban and rural communities across the European Union. Building on the successes of its predecessor, PoliRural, this ambitious initiative expands its scope to encompass not only rural areas but also cities and everything in between.
Poliruralplus tackles widespread issues that create disparities such as fragmented administration, unequal access to resources, and inefficiencies in public service delivery. The project’s core mission is to address these problems and create an environment where all communities can thrive through collaboration and equal opportunities.
Pilot Projects
At its core are nine pilot projects, acting as testbeds for a unified approach to regional development. AcrossLimits is responsible for implementing Rural Pilot 9 where the focus is on the digital transformation and entrepreneurship in the Maltese agriculture sector. By equipping rural communities with digital skills and fostering youth engagement, the project aims to bridge the rural-urban gap and combat brain drain. Currently, AcrossLimits have been discussing with various potential stakeholders, in view of a prospective collaboration. We are in fact reaching out to stakeholders within the sector to develop the capacity building project addressing the needs of the potential end user. Hence if you are an entity operating in the Agriculture sphere such as an NGO, an enterprise, a rural network or any other related body, then please do reach out to discuss your views.
Funding Call: Outreach
In the meantime, on the 3rd June, the project launched a funding call entitled ‘Outreach’ to complement the Pilot Projects. This call aims to:
- Discover new methods and technologies for rural development that can be applied in different regions;
- Encourage collaboration between various sectors to solve rural challenges comprehensively;
- Generate solutions that can inform future policies and practices for balanced rural-urban development.
This Outreach Call focuses on grassroots innovation in rural-urban interactions. Selected initiatives will receive €5,000 each to support regional innovation and development.
The Submission Deadline for applications is 31 July 2024 at 17:00 CEST.
The Expected Implementation will be between October and December 2024.
This call aims to generate new ideas, expand the project’s network, and ultimately contribute to a more balanced future for both rural and urban communities within the Pilot Regions, hence applicants are to address one of the project pilots mentioned above (Malta) and below:
Rural pilot 1: County Monaghan (Ireland)
County Monaghan is a rural county in Ireland with a growing immigrant population. The project aims to create green jobs and economic opportunities in the county by leveraging the untapped potential of broadband and green economy sectors.
Rural pilot 2: Slovakia
Slovakia, a mountainous country with over 2.8k municipalities, is aiming to revitalize its rural areas. Their project focuses on building collaboration between different groups and government departments to achieve this goal. This effort will contribute to the European Union’s plan for rural development and potentially lead to legal and administrative changes in Slovakia.
Rural pilot 4: Apulia (Italy)
Apulia, Italy’s southernmost region, is rich in rural heritage and agriculture. The project aims to revitalize rural areas by promoting short supply chains, agritourism ventures, and digitalization. This will attract young people, boost innovation, and strengthen the connection between rural and urban communities.
Rural pilot 5: Mallusjoki (Finland)
Mallusjoki, a traditional Finnish village known for its agricultural landscape and community spirit, aims to create a “Rural Event Industry Ecosystem.” This involves attracting artists to create unique events, boosting local self-esteem, and generating tourism from urban areas. The project’s goal is to develop a long-term strategy for Mallusjoki Youth Association, potentially impacting the future of the village and inspiring other rural communities.
Rural pilot 6: Czech-Bavarian border region (Czechia-Germany)
The Czech-Bavarian border region boasts beautiful scenery, rich history, and economic activity. This project aims to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas by adapting startup support models and potentially creating a cross-border “Technology Campus” to boost innovation and local economies.
Rural pilot 7: Spain
The “Federation for the Development of Sierra and Mancha Conquense” (ADESIMAN) is revitalizing rural areas in Spain through cultural heritage and innovation. Their project aims to combine the Segobriga Archaeological Park with new business models, digital tools, and training programs to boost the local economy, attract young people to agriculture, and bridge the gap between traditional and modern practices.
Rural pilot 8: Vidzeme (Latvia)
Vidzeme, Latvia’s largest and least populated region, is rich in industries like dairy and forestry. Their challenge is to create a monitoring system to track progress on their development plan and ensure residents are involved in the process.
Rural pilot 9: Malta (information as per above)
This project runs until January 2027 and involves the following 20 partners from 13 different countries:
- Česká vysoká škola technická v Praze (Czechia)
- Monaghan Integrated Development CLG (Ireland)
- The National Microelectronics Applications Centre Ltd (Ireland)
- Slovenská polnohospodárska univerzita v Nitre (Slovakia)
- Občianske združenie Vidiecky parlament mladých na Slovensku (Slovakia)
- Geoπονικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (Greece)
- GAIA Επιχειρείν Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία Ψηφιακών Υπηρεσιών (Greece)
- NEUROPUBLIC AE Πληροφορικής & Επικοινωνιών (Greece)
- TINADA SRL (Italy)
- Mallusjoen Nuorisoseura r.y. (Finland)
- SMART & LEAN HUB Oy (Finland)
- České centrum pro vzdělávání a společnost (Czechia)
- PLAN4ALL ZS (Czechia)
- Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (Germany)
- Asplan Viak AS (Norway)
- Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk (Poland)
- Fundación Socialinnlabs (Spain)
- Crehan, Kusano & Associates (Belgium)
- Vidzemes plānošanas reģions (Latvia)
- AcrossLimits Ltd (Malta)
For further information kindly check the project website on www.poliruralplus.eu
