PoliruralPLUS

The aim of the European PoliRuralPLUS project is to promote a sustainable, balanced, fair, unrestricted economic and social development for rural and urban areas through the existence of effective interconnections and intergovernmental arrangements. Prioritizing experimentation and innovation, the project seeks to promote a welfare economy that emphasizes, among other things, the protection of biodiversity, the preservation of cultural heritage, the encouragement of circularity of resources and the development of sustainable mobility alternatives for rural dwellers. It will develop tools, including a Decision Support System for the collaborative analysis of the spatial context, leveraging data and services available through the European Research Infrastructures and implement a multi-factorial approach to facilitate the digital transition. The PoliRuralPLUS project aims to alleviate socio-environmental inequalities and improve the quality of life of people living in urban and rural areas across the EU by promoting coordinated and two-way cooperative development between them. During the implementation of the project, 9 pilot applications will be developed (including 8 from the previous PoliRural project and 1 new one) that will focus on the development of urban-rural partnerships. In terms of funding, the project will demonstrate the successful implementation of funding mechanisms to support these partnerships, including public-private partnerships, crowdfunding and other innovative funding models. The aim is to find sustainable financing solutions that can support the long-term development of these partnerships. The project aspires to become an integral part of the New European Bauhaus initiative as it will provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge on rural and urban conditions for sustainable development and innovation. This platform will promote urban-rural partnerships and identify best practices that can be adopted. The PoliRuralPlus project will develop 9 pilot projects to validate and improve the methodologies and tools provided and clarify innovative practices that will emerge during its implementation.

Role of GAIA: Consortium partner

Main activities and responsibilities of GAIA EPICHEIREIN:

GAIA EPICHEIREIN will actively participate in all project activities focusing mainly on identifying relevant stakeholders including farmers, urban consumers, local authorities, businesses, NGOs and community groups and establishing communication channels with them.

GAIA EPICHIIREIN will support the implementation of the Greek pilot by strengthening communication with experts in rural development issues and analyzing the needs and socio-economic impact of innovative actions such as the digitization of agriculture. It will also participate in training actions on sustainable agro-technologies that promote agro-tourism while through personalized plans it will enhance the creation of economic opportunities for the diversification of agro-tourism and the promotion of both local agricultural products and the rich natural resources of the study area. In addition, it will collect feedback and evaluate the effectiveness of the methodology in achieving the project goals resulting from the pilot application.