The project RURALED and its first results namely the researches done within WP 1 were presented at the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Innovative Approaches to the Restoration of Transport Infrastructure in Special Conditions of Martial Law: Challenges and Prospects” that was held at the National university of transport in Kyiv on 23-24 October 2024.
In spite of the fact that the Conference was mainly aimed at city infrastructure and SMART city issues, our ideas related to the perspective for the development of SMART villages presented within the section “Restoring Ukraine on the basis of sustainable development: European experience, challenges and prospects” were met with great interest.
Some findings related to the current situation in Ukrainian rural territories, their needs in the light of the prospects for implementing SMART approaches were presented at the Conference:
- In the context of the decentralization the need for an integrated approach to solving problems in rural areas, including SMART technologies; the need to look for ways to survive and develop economically on their own were discovered;
- In the context of the war comfortable conditions for enterprises relocated from the occupied territories and the frontline zone are needed. Other needs concern people displaced from the occupied territories and the frontline zone, they should be integrated to new community, provided with jobs, and comfortable living conditions. Digital solutions are needed to ensure the safety of the population and ensure normal social life after the war.
- Some regional specifics of the studied territories were discovered as well: Chernihiv region being situated near russian border is aimed at the security, socialisation and accommodation of displaced persons, assistance, communication (war-related projects); Odesa region is aimed at the economic, environmental, cultural and social projects started before the war and ongoing now, symbolising their resilience; Ternopil and Poltava regions are aimed social and environmental projects.
The participants of the Conference were interested in the possibilities and tools to mobilize and to encourage the rural population to participate in the project, that is considered as a challenge. The contact with local leaders, the Association of rural auto-governing and the Association of rural communities helped greatly for motivating rural population.
