Society and regional strategies 3 min

RURALITIC: Rethinking European rural areas in the face of new realities, challenges and transitions

PRESS RELEASE - European rural areas are undergoing profound socio-demographic changes, shaped by ecological, digital, and bio-economic transitions. Accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, these transformations highlight the increasing diversification of rural territories, making them as complex and varied as major cities. However, existing tools, concepts, and public policies struggle to grasp this evolving reality. The RURALITIC project, coordinated by INRAE and bringing together 16 partners from 10 countries for 4 years of research and action, aims to shed light on these dynamics and support the development of tailored public policies.

Published on 13 February 2025

© RURALITIC

The evolving nature of rurality calls for a reassessment of its definition and role within broader territorial dynamics. Socio-demographic shifts, climate change, digitalisation, and evolving mobility patterns are reshaping rural landscapes, creating both opportunities and disparities. While some rural areas benefit from new economic and social dynamics, others face increased marginalisation. Addressing these challenges requires a nuanced approach that moves beyond conventional classifications and embraces the diverse realities of rural spaces.

Understanding and transforming rural territories

RURALITIC is based on a conceptual redefinition of "the rural" to develop new scientific and methodological tools. It will produce new data, surveys, indicators, and typologies, allowing for a refined analysis of contemporary rural dynamics. These frameworks will be used to assess the drivers of rural attractiveness, existing public policies, and innovative initiatives.

The RURALITIC programme will focus on defining the "European rural social spaces," highlighting the relationship between the economic and cultural capitals of its inhabitants, while examining the links between social positions, life trajectories, and perceptions of places.

Key objectives for concrete action

To achieve these ambitions, RURALITIC has set six main objectives:

  • Redefining rurality as a multidimensional and relational concept, emphasising socio-economic and spatial interdependencies.
  • Characterising the diversity of rural areas and their role in major transitions by integrating new indicators (real estate trends, digitalisation, environmental amenities) and focusing on evolving social dynamics.
  • Identify key drivers of attractiveness specific to different types of rural areas and assessing how crises and policies shape population flows and perceptions.
  • Evaluating post-Covid demographic impacts on public services, real estate markets, and well-being, with a focus on financial sustainability and social coherence.
  • Assessing and co-developing public policies and local initiatives to revitalise rural areas.
  • Developing future scenarios that envision resilient and thriving rural areas, where tradition, innovation, and environmental stewardship intersect to create sustainable socio-economic models.

As territorial inequalities widen and tensions over land use grow, RURALITIC offers a renewed approach tailored to the specificities of each rural area. The goal is to provide policymakers with science-based recommendations to foster balanced and inclusive development. Overall, the project will feed into the European Commission’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas which aims to create stronger, connected, resilient, and prosperous rural areas by 2040. It will do this by empowering rural communities, improving digital and physical connectivity, enhancing environmental sustainability and climate resilience, and fostering economic diversification.

Over its 48-month duration, the project aims to reshape public policies towards a more precise and adaptive approach to the realities of European rural areas.

Project features

RURALITIC Rural revival: a life in the inspirational countryside

Coordination by INRAE – 16 partners: INRAE + IA (FR), TUD (NL), FLUP (PT), Ined (FR), EUR (NL), US-EPRC (UK), U Lyon 2 (FR), UU (SE), RUC (DK), UAB (ES), UWK (AT), IRWiR (PL), ARCTIK (BE), IT (FR),IfA (UK), CDAF (FR)

European funding under Horizon Europe:  € 6 494 227 

 

 

Horizon Europe project no.  101181142

 

INRAE Media relations

Scientific contact

Gilles Laferté

Center for Economics and Sociology Applied to Agriculture and Rural Areas

Centre

Division

Learn more

Society and regional strategies

INRAE and JRC renew their collaboration for four years

PRESS RELEASE - Today in Brussels Stephen Quest, Director-General of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and Philippe Mauguin, CEO of the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) renewed their strategic partnership by signing a four-year agreement to continue their collaboration in the fields of agriculture, climate change, environment, health and food systems, with a view to support efficient public policies.

04 December 2023

Society and regional strategies

Reconciling human needs, natural resources and preservation of the biosphere

Guidances 13 and 14 of the INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD Joint Consultative Ethics Committee deal with the core activities shared by the four organisations: human needs, natural resources, preservation of the biosphere and how to reconcile them in research work. These reflections have been developed under the chairmanship of Axel Kahn, on issues that he had identified and for which he had given his strong motivations. The two guidances deal with two practical cases: coastal waters (guidance 13) and agricultural practices and soil quality (guidance 14).

20 September 2022

Society and regional strategies

Encouraging forest management practices to increase European carbon sink capacity

PRESS RELEASE - ‘Carbon Farming in the European Forestry Sector’, a report from the European Forest Institute (EFI) with participating authors from both INRAE and AgroParisTech, shows us how carbon farming practices can build up carbon sink capacity in European forests to help the European Union to meet its 2050 carbon neutrality target. Afforestation, involving the (re)planting and regeneration of forests, is one of the most effective methods of carbon sequestration. The report’s analysis of forest management demonstrates the need for the financial incentivisation of private owners (who control over 50% of EU forests) to prioritise the long-term resilience of forests over short-term profits, from intensive logging for example. Temporary carbon credits would provide the most credible incentive for these owners among the novel voluntary financing mechanisms available.

16 October 2024