The Ruraled Project has successfully concluded its focus group phase, marking a significant step towards its mission to develop a comprehensive skilling path for future Smart Village residents. Throughout this phase, each project partner gathered around the table regional and national experts (AKIS and NON-AKIS stakeholders) to discuss competences and good practices useful for the implementation of the Smart Village Strategy.
These focus groups served as collaborative platforms where various insights and experiences were shared. Experts from various sectors were engaged to explore innovative solutions and strategies that could transform rural areas into thriving smart villages.
The discussions were rich and multifaceted, covering a wide range of topics such as digitalisation, sustainability, bottom-up approaches and community-led initiatives. Each participant identified key skills and practices pivotal for the successful transition of rural areas to smart villages. These include: the integration of digital tools, the promotion of green energy solutions, and, in particular, the empowerment of local communities through participatory governance.
The prompts collected from these meetings will play a crucial role in the success of the Ruraled Project’s goal to create empowered and resilient Smart Villages by preparing their future residents.
