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Learn how an EAFRD project is helping to overcome the digital divide in the north of Hesse, Germany, by supporting five districts that are working jointly to provide fast internet to around 1 million inhabitants in the area.

Find more good practices for Information & Communications Technology (ICT) in our Project Database.

Watch and share the ENRD ’Smart Villages’ video, now subtitled in 22 EU languages! The video illustrates how rural communities, local action and digitisation can improve basic services in rural areas.

The ENRD thematic work on the topic continues with a focus on collecting and developing practical orientations for using all the policy tools available to help ‘Smart Villages’ emerge and grow. The next meeting of the dedicated Thematic Group (TG) will take place on 4 October 2018.

Finland's Smartest Village competition, run by the Finnish Rural Network (Maaseutu.FI), has generated a high level of involvement with 32 contestants from all over the country expressing an interest in becoming more vital, active and innovative.

The competition seeks not only to identify, but also to assist the progress of villages that are working to develop accessible and high-quality services in areas such as healthcare, education, energy, mobility, and local food. Participating villages will be offered guidance, ideas, peer support, and networking opportunities over the next year and a half, culminating in the selection of the winning village at the end of 2019.

The 12^th meeting of the National Rural Networks (NRNs) – 17-18 September 2018 - Tallinn, Estonia – explored the success factors and transferability of rural development projects which are working to develop efficient bioeconomy, renewable energy and circular economy practices.

The event explored the potential involvement of NRN representatives in the newly launched ENRD thematic work on ‘Mainstreaming the Bioeconomy’, as well as ways of exchanging knowledge and good practice around the topic.

Participants also examined possibilities for taking collective action to enhance ENRD online tools intended to assist NRNs with their main objectives and tasks. Finally, they exchanged ideas on how to effectively communicate the value of rural networking at a dedicated Conference in spring 2019.

The ENRD Contact Point kindly invites you to share your beautiful images and inspiring quotes and help us celebrate 10 years of rural networking in spring 2019!

In a special publication, we intend to illustrate rural networking in action through the eyes and voices of those who will lead networks forward in the future.

The photos should capture your perception of topics such as rural people and employment, rural diversity and environment, food, and the spirit of LEADER/CLLD.

To be of good print quality, the photos must be 3 MB or larger and we would need to know who holds the copyright. Share your pictures and words at editor@enrd.eu by 5 November – and spread the word!

The latest edition of the ENRD networking magazine ‘Rural Connections’ is now available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish on the ENRD website.

This issue explores the topic of Generational Renewal and what is being done to welcome and support a new generation of farmers, including through the European Commission’s legislative proposals for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Subscribe to receive free paper copies of future editions in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish by writing to subscribe@enrd.eu.

Find your way through the upcoming Horizon 2020 calls for proposals under the ‘Rural Renaissance’ and ‘Sustainable Food Security’ themes – read EIP-AGRI’s brochure on funding opportunities in 2019.

With these funding opportunities, falling under the 2018-2020 work programme, the EU is looking to invest approximately €1 billion in sustainable resource management and smarter, greener and more circular rural economies.

The MAMBA project (October 2017 – September 2020) is working to improve rural mobility and service delivery through the implementation of nine pilot actions, identification of existing good practice and involvement of local users in developing sustainable solutions.

The project is funded under the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme and includes 15 partners from six countries: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Finland and Sweden.

The European Commission has published a call for proposals under the European Solidarity Corps to fund volunteering activities, traineeships, jobs, and solidarity projects intended for young people.

The call has a budget of over € 44 million and its deadlines fall between 16 October 2018 and 18 February 2019, depending on the type of activity. Find out more.

The European Solidarity Corps is an EU initiative which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects – in their own country or abroad and including in rural areas – that benefit communities and people around Europe.

Apply and get recognition for your land management practice through two competitions – the Land and Soil Management Award and Anders Wall Award – run annually by the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO). The application deadline for both is 31 December 2018.

The competitions recognise and showcase practices which help to achieve the EU's soil protection goals and have contributed to the rural environment within the EU.

A financing agreement between the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the European Investment Fund (EIF) will channel over € 150 million to around 1 300 Romanian farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

The agreement will enable investment in agricultural activities, processing and marketing of agricultural products and diversification into non-agricultural activities. This risk-sharing loan will be useful in a context where risks linked to agricultural activities are high, affecting interest rate levels and collaterals required for a loan.

The agreement will be managed by the EIF, under the national Rural Development Programme (RDP).