Contexte
Mutually beneficial relations along rural–peri-urban–urban trajectories have been shown to contribute substantially to Europe’s smart, sustainable and inclusive growth agenda outlined in the EU 2020 strategy. Success in actually creating synergies is largely determined by decisions made at local and regional levels. Well-designed multi-level and multi-actor governance systems and processes are key to strengthening beneficial relations between rural, peri-urban and urban areas. Policy plays a determining role in orienting, enabling and fostering the related decision-making processes and actions. Regional-level and rural policies that aim to support sustainable economic development, job creation and competitiveness as well as to improve citizens’ quality of life are particularly vital.
A common higher-level challenge for all actors and institutions involved at different governance levels is to contribute to a more balanced, future-oriented, sustainable and spatially integrated place-based development that takes into account synergies across rural–peri-urban–urban areas. Urbanisation processes, for example, can contribute positively to rural development by providing access to markets, services, information and knowledge if carefully designed and managed. Rural areas, in turn, can offer urban centres amenities that contribute positively to urban quality of life, regional competiveness, cultural identity and resilience. The problem is that current governance arrangements are often not conducive to fostering such synergies and that potential mutual benefits are sometimes not even recognised.
Objectives
The overall goal of ROBUST is to a) advance our understanding of the interactions and dependencies between rural, peri-urban and urban areas and b) to identify and promote policies, governance models and practices that foster mutually beneficial relations. Improved governance arrangements and synergies between rural, peri-urban and urban areas will in turn contribute to Europe’s smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, maximising the creation of rural jobs and value-added.
Objectives
see objectives in English
Activities
ROBUST starts with a review of the interactions and dependencies between rural and urban areas and how these translate into varying development patterns. The review is supported by rapid appraisal of existing policy frameworks, governance systems, instruments and practices. A set of 11 real-life cases covering diverse territorial contexts will be used to explore and illustrate rural-urban relationships and dependencies as well as effective governance arrangements. The outputs from the transdisciplinary work will target tangible solutions for practitioners and improved policy implementation.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Horizon Project Type
- Multi-actor project
Emplacement
- Main geographical location
- Veluwe
EUR 5 999 934.00
Total budget
Total contributions including EU funding.
Ressources
Liens
25 Practice Abstracts
Participatory spatial data analysis is a way of jointly identifying, collecting, interpreting and processing data. It is very applicable in local contexts and covers a wide spectrum of stakeholder involvement. Statistical analyses of space help to classify the continuum between the urban and the rural or to segment functional natural urban and non-urban space. Econometric analyses basically seek to establish inferential relationships or influences that can be derived from the various data used. At a local level, spatial econometrics can shed light on important social, economic, cultural and environmental relationships. The information provided by sound econometric estimates can be highly relevant for regional policy, planning or local policies at municipality level. Therefore, any statistical analysis needs to be done very carefully to avoid wrong conclusions. It is important that stakeholders understand both the information content of data and the statistical procedures applied. This kind of spatial analysis deserves a broader understanding as is very relevant for better understanding rural-urban interactions. The workshop was a joint effort by PRAC and RWI offered to satisfy the need for training in spatial data analysis, notably micro grid-data, statistics and spatial econometrics for those ROBUST teams focusing on the Community of Practice new business & labour markets and/or those who are interested in applying such quantitative methodologies in their research and practice.
Die partizipative Geodatenanalyse ist eine Möglichkeit, Daten gemeinsam zu identifizieren, zu sammeln, zu interpretieren und zu verarbeiten. Es ist in lokalen Kontexten gut anwendbar und deckt ein breites Spektrum von Ebenen der Einbeziehung von Stakeholdern ab. Räumliche Statistik hilft, das Kontinuum zwischen dem städtischen und dem ländlichen Raum zu klassifizieren oder funktionale natürliche städtische und nicht städtische Räume zu segmentieren. Ökonometrische Analysen zielen im Wesentlichen darauf ab, inferentielle Beziehungen oder Einflüsse zu ermitteln, die aus den verschiedenen verwendeten Daten abgeleitet werden können. Auf lokaler Ebene kann die räumliche Ökonometrie wichtige soziale, wirtschaftliche, kulturelle und ökologische Zusammenhänge beleuchten. Die durch fundierte ökonometrische Schätzungen bereitgestellten Informationen können für die Regionalpolitik, die Planung oder die Kommunalpolitik auf Gemeindeebene von hoher Relevanz sein. Daher muss jede statistische Analyse sehr sorgfältig durchgeführt werden, um falsche Schlussfolgerungen zu vermeiden. Es ist jedoch wichtig, dass die Beteiligten sowohl den Informationsgehalt der Daten als auch die angewandten statistischen Verfahren verstehen. Diese Art der räumlichen Analyse verdient ein umfassenderes Verständnis, da sie für die Interaktion zwischen Land und Stadt von großer Bedeutung ist. Der Workshop wurde von PRAC und RWI gemeinsam angeboten, um den Schulungsbedarf für Geodatenanalysen, insbesondere für Mikrorasterdaten, Statistiken und Raumökonometrie, für die ROBUST-Teams zu decken, die sich auf Gewerbe und Arbeitsmärkte konzentrieren, und / oder für diejenigen, die allgemein solche quantitativen Methoden in ihrer Forschung verwenden.
The Horizon 2020 ROBUST project aims to improve how rural-urban linkages are governed. The mechanism for this is a “Living Lab” (LL). A LL is an experimental space where outcomes-led governance innovations can be discussed, informed, tested and reviewed. In ROBUST, LLs are co-convened by two local partners – a research institution and a municipality or regional body. Experiments are informed by stakeholders (end-users of the governance innovation) in four stages. First, governance innovations are envisioned, agreed upon, and documented in a Research and Innovation Agenda. Second, the experiments are started, in collaboration with a range of stakeholders. For example, if the experiment is to improve the ability of rural producers to supply the regional school meals service via a new contract, then caterers, farmers, contract managers and IT logisticians will inform progress towards the third stage - experiencing and analysing (and refining) the innovations proposed. A fourth stage monitors and evaluates the experiment, offering lessons for future practice. Each LL received detailed guidelines to offer a uniform (and comparable) method, which included an extensive participatory methods toolkit to help engage stakeholders from commerce, government and civil society. Some examples of LL governance experimentation in ROBUST include: developing regional food strategies, testing new governance arrangements that cross political/budgetary boundaries, and integrating well-being in spatial planning processes. LLs depend on good co-relations between researchers and practitioners. Challenges include changing political priorities, as well as getting input from multiple sectors.
Cross-sectoral interactions between different actors (organisations or individuals) are effective through processes of communication, exchange, competence and knowledge. It is expected that those can help to use, improve and conserve the goods and services of different sectors in rural and urban areas. Regional workshops in each ROBUST Living Lab were conducted in Autumn 2019 to identify the factors that enable or hamper effective cross-sectoral interactions. Well-structured and diverse participatory methods (e.g. table rounds, mixed-working groups, and knowledge cafes or talking clubs) brought together different groups of stakeholders. Government/public sector was dominant in the participation. Two contrasting tendencies were found among regions. Some involved social societies, whereas others focused more on representatives and interest groups. The private sector was identified as important, despite its low participation. It was found that the organisations’ work was mainly focused on urban-rural relations, nevertheless some partners had only rural or urban approaches. Regional workshops illustrated that there can be difficulties forming cross-sectoral relations between actors, because they are often very thematically specific (e.g. farmers). However, participants identified important aspects for their work, such as knowledge exchange, social/professional networks, rural-urban relations and cross-sectoral interactions. Participants felt that the ROBUST project could offer new approaches to rural-urban relations by encouraging networks and knowledge exchange that create and strengthen rural-urban relations and synergies in their respective territories.
Las interacciones intersectoriales entre diferentes actores -organizaciones o individuos- son efectivas a través de procesos de comunicación, intercambio, competencia y conocimiento. Se espera que estos puedan ayudar a usar, mejorar y conservar los bienes y servicios de los diferentes sectores presentes en las zonas rurales y urbanas. Los talleres regionales se llevaron a cabo en 2019 dentro del proyecto Living Labs para identificar los factores que permiten o dificultan interacciones intersectoriales efectivas. Los métodos participativos bien estructurados y diversos (por ejemplo, mesas redondas, grupos de trabajo mixtos y cafés de conocimiento o clubes de conversación) involucraron a diferentes grupos de partes interesadas. El sector público / gubernamental fue dominante en la participación. Se encontraron dos tendencias contrastantes entre las regiones. Algunos involucraron a las sociedades sociales, mientras que otros se centraron más en representantes y grupos de interés. El sector privado fue identificado como importante a pesar de su baja participación. Se descubrió que el trabajo de las organizaciones se centraba principalmente en las relaciones urbano-rurales, sin embargo, algunos socios solo tenían enfoques rurales o urbanos. Los talleres regionales demostraron algunas dificultades para formar relaciones intersectoriales entre los actores porque a menudo son muy específicos del dominio temático. Sin embargo, los participantes identificaron aspectos importantes para su trabajo, como el intercambio de conocimientos, la red social / profesional, las relaciones rural-urbanas y las interacciones intersectoriales. Principalmente, los participantes tienen fe en que el proyecto ROBUST puede ser fructífero en nuevos enfoques de las relaciones rural-urbanas. Fomentar las redes y el intercambio de conocimientos facilitará a las partes interesadas crear y fortalecer las relaciones y sinergias rural-urbanas en sus respectivos territorios.
This study addressed the use of nocturnal satellite imagery in spatial analysis of rural-urban relations. It shows how a novel approach can be used to complement research below the data resolution level of official regional statistics. The intention was to examine a method to analyse the spatial evolution of rural–peri-urban–urban settings over time and to base local policy and planning decisions on a more precise empirical foundation. A better informational foundation of rural-urban planning and policies stipulates a more precise empirical insight, both related to spatial (rural-urban) development processes as well as to a more precise functional differentiation of space. More importantly, we explored spatial segmentation (urban, non-urban), the association with socio-economic variables at small spatial scale and the change of spatial dependence (relational space) from recent nocturnal satellite imagery (VIIRS) composites. This approach combines spatial heterogeneity and spatial dependence as effects of different orders. The overarching aim is to provide a novel database and different empirical tools to broaden spatial information for decision making in policy and planning at small spatial scale among municipalities and for citizens. The accuracy of spatial information is expected to be substantially enhanced, paving ways for more transparent rural-urban planning coordination and synergies. The core empirical study covered the area of the Regionalverband Frankfurt/Rhein-Main as an established European growth pole. A second empirical study looked at a different spatial setting (Ljubljana Urban Region) as a dynamically growing economy with important national relevance for a smaller EU member state.
Die Studie befasste sich mit der Verwendung nächtlicher Satellitenbilder bei der räumlichen Analyse der Beziehungen zwischen ländlichen und städtischen Gebieten. Sie zeigt, wie ein neuartiger Ansatz verwendet werden kann, um die Forschung unterhalb der Datenauflösung der amtlichen Regionalstatistik zu ergänzen.Der Zweck bestand darin, eine Methode zu untersuchen, mit der die räumliche Entwicklung des ländlichen, stadtnahen und städtischen Umfelds im Laufe der Zeit analysiert und Möglichkeiten eröffnet werden sollen, um lokale politische Entscheidungen und Planungsentscheidungen auf eine präzisere empirische Grundlage zu stellen. Eine bessere Informationsgrundlage für die ländlich-städtische Planung und Politik erfordert im Wesentlichen genauere empirische Evidenz, sowohl in Bezug auf räumliche Entwicklungsprozesse als auch in Bezug auf eine präzisere funktionale Differenzierung des Raums. Zu erwähnen, dass wir den Informationsgehalt neuerer Zusammenstellungen von nächtlichen Satellitenbildern (VIIRS) im Hinblick auf die räumliche Segmentierung (städtisch, nicht städtisch), die kleinräumige Assoziation mit sozioökonomischen Variablen und die Änderung der räumlichen Abhängigkeit untersucht haben. Dieser Analyseansatz kombiniert im Wesentlichen räumliche Heterogenität und räumliche Abhängigkeit als Effekte unterschiedlicher Ordnungen. Übergeordnetes Ziel ist es, mit neuartigen Forschungsdaten und verschiedenen empirischen Instrumenten bessere räumliche Informationen für die Entscheidungsfindung in Politik und Planung zwischen Gemeinden und Bürgern zu leisten. Mit anderen Worten, es wird erwartet, dass die Genauigkeit der räumlichen Informationen wesentlich verbessert wird, wodurch Wege für eine transparentere Koordinierung der Planung zwischen ländlichen und städtischen Gebieten und für Synergien geebnet werden. Die empirische Kernstudie umfasste das Gebiet des Regionalverbandes Frankfurt / Rhein-Main als etablierten europäischen Wachstumspol. Eine zweite empirische Studie untersuchte die Stadtregion Ljubljana, als dynamisch wachsende Region mit wichtiger nationaler Relevanz für einen kleineren EU-Mitgliedstaat.
The purpose of the study was to explore the information content of small scale grid and commuter data for a socio-economic analysis of urban-rural relations. The findings help to precisely detect socio-economic patterns at small spatial scale (one square kilometre grid), potentially also under consideration of environmental limits of local resource consumption. The analysis builds on the statistical classification of functional space determined by population density (eight urban, peri-urban and rural classes of space based on EU defined thresh-old margins). The statistical approach applied was kernel density estimation. For the purpose of its reliability the classification results were further compared with the variation of radiance from night satellite data. The subsequent use of a spatial econometric model estimates shows the association and spatial cause & effect relations for several variables at neighbourhood scale. To deepen the inferential analysis, the spatial classification was linked to a commuter flow analysis by clustering municipalities along their functional variation. In this analysis the spatial links of the local labour market and the economic interaction between the different functional classes of area can be shown. Quite useful has been the exploration of systematic relationships between microm grid data and night satellite images. Here, population density correlates stronger with light emission only in urban areas. Commercial density correlates significantly with light emission across all areal classes regarded, thus well defining light emission as a variable showing economic activity. The added value for practitioners is substantially enhanced spatial economic information.
Ziel der Studie war es, den Informationsgehalt von kleinräumigen Raster- und Pendlerdaten für eine sozioökonomische Analyse der Stadt-Land-Beziehungen zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse tragen dazu bei, sozioökonomische Muster im kleinen räumlichen Maßstab (ein Quadratkilometer-Raster) präzise zu erfassen, potenziell auch unter Berücksichtigung der Grenzen des lokalen Ressourcenverbrauchs. Die Analyse stützt sich auf die statistische Klassifizierung des funktionalen Raums anhand der Bevölkerungsdichte (acht städtische, stadtnahe und ländliche Raumklassen auf der Grundlage der von der EU festgelegten Grenzwerte). Der angewandte statistische Ansatz war die Kerndichteschätzung. Zum Zwecke der Zuverlässigkeit wurden die Klassifizierungsergebnisse weiter mit der Variation der Lichtemission bei Nachtsatellitendaten verglichen. Die anschließende Verwendung eines räumlichen ökonometrischen Modells zeigt die Assoziations- und kleinräumlichen Ursache-Wirkungs-Beziehungen für mehrere Variablen. Um die Inferenzanalyse zu vertiefen, wurde die räumliche Klassifikation mit einer Pendlerflussanalyse verknüpft, indem die Gemeinden entlang ihrer funktionalen Variation gruppiert wurden. In dieser Analyse können die räumlichen Zusammenhänge des lokalen Arbeitsmarktes und das wirtschaftliche Zusammenspiel der verschiedenen funktionalen Gebietsklassen aufgezeigt werden. Sehr nützlich war die Untersuchung systematischer Zusammenhänge zwischen Mikrorasterdaten und Nachtsatellitenbildern. Hier korreliert die Bevölkerungsdichte in städtischen Gebieten stärker mit der Lichtemission. Die kommerzielle Dichte korreliert signifikant mit der Lichtemission in allen betrachteten Gebietsklassen, wodurch die Lichtemission als Variable definiert wird, die die wirtschaftliche Aktivität anzeigt. Der Mehrwert für die Praktiker ist eine wesentlich verbesserte räumliche Wirtschaftsinformation.
Rural and urban places, people and products need to be better connected to enable mutual growth towards a shared and sustainable future. The ROBUST project developed a framework to identify, evaluate and envision practical ways to foster these rural-urban connections. The framework unites findings from previous scientific research with lessons drawn from policy and practice. There are three key concepts in the framework. (1) 'New Localities' is a principle for identifying local connections. The concept can be used by municipalities and other institutions that work within defined boundaries to better understand how people and products move across those boundaries in day-to-day life and trade. (2) 'Network Governance' is the idea that governments can make better decisions when they bring together the public, private and non-profit sectors. This concept can be used to identify who should participate, and how participation can be enabled. (3) 'Smart Development' acknowledges that sustainable growth can be more effectively achieved when local economies prioritise what they can do best. This concept can be used to identify local priorities and envision opportunities for innovation. Put together, these three concepts can be used to identify and evaluate existing rural-urban relations; scope opportunities to enhance these relations; and, propose, plan and implement new solutions. The user-friendly practitioner guide is organised into a short executive overview, and detailed sections - including question prompts and examples - to illustrate how each key concept can be directly used in practice. The Guide can be downloaded here: https://rural-urban.eu/publications/robust-conceptual-framework-guide-p…
Tukums municipality is developing a strategic development plan for cultural life (2020-2025) that aims to outline key development objectives and priorities, and devise governance arrangements to coordinate activities in the cultural sector. The overall goal is to preserve the rich cultural and historical heritage of the region, whilst enhancing cultural life in the municipality and strengthening cultural connections between urban and rural areas. The process of developing the plan has been participatory, and numerous workshops have been organised to jointly work on the main elements. However, these events have highlighted several challenges related to the governance of cultural life, such as practical difficulties related to the maintenance of a joint calendar of events and conflicting interpretations of which events should be included in the calendar. The workshops also revealed (i) different visions of how much the plan should be focused on the attraction of visitors from outside the municipality, and (ii) uncertain outlooks regarding the prospects of Tukums in this regard. Crucially, looming changes in the administrative boundaries of the municipality have hampered the discussion, and participants noted the need to include stakeholders from areas that will likely be absorbed by Tukums municipality. These observations suggest that developing a cohesive vision of regional cultural life in a participatory manner may not be enough. An honest dialogue about the valorisation of certain cultural practices and local identities is important for successful collaboration and coordination of cultural life in both urban and rural areas.
Tukuma novads izstrādā stratēģisku kultūrvides attīstības plānu 2020.-2025. gadam, kura mērķis ir iezīmēt galvenos attīstības mērķus un prioritātes, kā arī izveidot pārvaldes modeli, lai koordinētu aktivitātes kultūras nozarē. Plāna mērķis ir saglabāt reģiona bagāto kultūras un vēsturisko mantojumu, vienlaikus veicinot kultūras dzīvi pašvaldībā un stiprinot kultūras saiknes starp pilsētām un lauku teritorijām. Dokumenta izstrādes procesā tika organizēti vairāki semināri, lai kopīgi strādātu pie galvenajiem plāna elementiem. Šīs diskusijas atsedza vairākus sarežģījumus, kas saistīti ar kultūras dzīves pārvaldību, piemēram, praktiski izaicinājumi kopīga pasākumu kalendāra uzturēšanā un pretrunīgas interpretācijas attiecībā uz to, kuri notikumi kalendārā jāiekļauj. Semināros bija novērojamas arī atšķirīgas vīzijas par to, cik lielā mērā būtu jāapskata jautājumi, kas saistīti ar tūristu piesaistīšanu, kā arī neskaidras prognozes par Tukuma izredzēm šajā ziņā. Izšķiroši ir arī tas, ka izmaiņas pašvaldības administratīvajās robežās ir apgrūtinājušas diskusiju, jo dalībnieki atzīmēja nepieciešamību iesaistīt kultūras iestāžu pārstāvjus no teritorijām, kuras, iespējams, pievienos Tukumam. Šie novērojumi liecina, ka ar vienotu redzējumu par kultūras dzīvi reģionā var nepietikt arī tad, ja izstrādes procesā tiek apspriestas dažādas vīzijas. Atklāts dialogs par atsevišķu kultūras prakšu vērtību un reģionālo identitāti ir svarīgs veiksmīgai sadarbībai un kultūras dzīves koordinēšanai gan pilsētās, gan lauku teritorijās.
The Regional Authority FrankfurtRheinMain (Region FRM) is developing a system to include the concept of Eco-System Services (ESS) in regional land use planning legal procedures to better inform the planning process. It will quantify how ESS contributes to human well-being, and it will, eventually, help reduce land take. Currently, German planning laws treat the 'undeveloped' parts of municipalities as reservoirs for future settlement expansion areas. ESS can be used as an argument to decide against developing a given area, by better informing the decision process. ESS is well established in science; however, its application in planning to date has been hampered due to a mismatch. Scientists focus on specific sectors and disregard others, and different scientists apply different methods. This makes the concept impractical in practice. The Region FRM has chosen an approach that starts with the imposed legal structures. The Region FRM created a list of 30 entries of ESS, in four groups: Provisioning, Regulation and Maintenance, Cultural, and Other/Abiotic. For every entry, there are detailed proposals for its operationalisation, including a comparison of data needed and data at hand at the Regional Authority. By adopting this approach, planners will be able to better address the current needs of and for undeveloped areas (“Outer Space”), taking ESS into account in a consistent, comprehensive and evidence-based way. It opens the way to quantify ESS information. Once the system is tested for the Frankfurt/Rhein-Main Regional Land Use Plan, it can be transferred to other planning authorities in Germany – and used as a model methodology throughout Europe.
Wir entwickeln ein System, um das Konzept der Ökosystemleistungen in die Regionale Flächennutzungsplanung einzubringen. Damit wird die gesetzlich vorgeschriebene Abwägung unterschiedlicher Interessen besser fundiert. Mit der Quantifizierung des Beitrags der Ökosysteme zum menschlichen Wohlergehen können wirddem Flächenverbrauch besser entgegenwirken. - Land ist eine endliche Ressource, aber leider behandelt das Baugesetzbuch den unbeplanten Außenbereich ("Outer Space") als das Reservoir für weitere "Entwicklung", die Ausweitung der Siedlungsflächen ("Inner Space"). ÖSL können als weiteres, qualifiziertes Argument gegen die Umwandlung von unbebauten Flächen dienen. ÖSL sind in der Wissenschaft etabliert, ihre Anwendung in der Planung scheiterte bisher aber an der mangelnden Operationalisierung: Viele Wissenschaftler konzentrieren sich auf bestimmte Sektoren, veschiedene Wissenschaftler verfolgen verschiedene, oft inkompatible Ansätze. Wir haben jetzt einen Ansatz entwickelt, der von den gesetzlich vorgegebenen Strukturen ("Schutzgüter") ausgeht. Es gibt eine Liste mit 30 verschiedenen ÖSL, in 4 Gruppen (Versorgungsleistungen, Regulierungsleistungen, Kulturleistungen, abiotische Leistungen). Für jede ÖSL gibt es detaillierte Vorschläge zur Operationalisierung, einschließlich einer Enschätzung der Datenlage. Mit diesem Ansatz werden Planer in die Lage versetzt, die Belange des Außenbereichs und den Bedarf an Außenbereichen besser und zeitgemäß zu berücksichtigen, konsistent, vollständig und datenbasiert, durch die Möglicheit der Quantifizierung. Ausgehend von der Anwendung beim Regionalverband FrankfurtRheinMain kann man den Ansatz auf andere deutsche Gemeinden und Regionen übertragen.
The Lucca Plain (IT) is characterized by a mix of rural and urban areas with around 162,000 inhabitants. In recent decades, this area has experienced urban growth, which has manifested as sprawl and decreased agricultural activity. It is a widespread opinion among local planners and citizens that agricultural land adjacent to the urbanized territory is of limited value and should be used for urban expansion. This thinking has progressively reduced the territory's ability to provide eco-system services (ESS) for the well-being of its citizens. In this context, the Lucca Living Lab in ROBUST takes local food as a central element for strengthening agriculture and enhancing other ESS provided by the rural areas adjacent to urban areas. An ESS mapping method was proposed and developed to evaluate the "value of the land" using provincial and regional data sources (e.g., environmental, socio-economic, etc.). The ESS have been grouped into food supply, regulation, and recreational-cultural services, and are represented using a red-green-blue colour map, with different shades of colour indicating the prevalence of one ESS group over the other. This visual representation helps clearly show the areas with a higher or lower vocation for ESS provision examined, and enables alternative scenarios to be developed by planners based on stakeholders’ and citizens' needs. This tool and methodology enables better planning for rural areas adjacent to urban areas, and is being used in preliminary planning processes to develop additional policy instruments and regulations to ultimately support more balanced development in the territory.
La piana di Lucca è caratterizzata da una commistione di elementi rurali e urbani ed ospita circa 162.000 abitanti. Negli ultimi decenni, questa zona ha subito un'espansione urbana e l'abbandono dell'attività agricola. È opinione diffusa tra pianificatori e cittadini che il terreno agricolo adiacente a quello urbanizzato sia di scarso valore e quindi spazio disponibile per la costruzione. Tale modus operandi ha progressivamente ridotto la capacità del territorio di fornire Servizi Ecosistemici (SE) per il benessere dei cittadini. In questo contesto, il Living Lab di ROBUST considera il cibo locale come elemento centrale per rafforzare l'agricoltura e migliorare altri SE forniti dalla zona rurale adiacente all'area urbana. È stato proposto e sviluppato un metodo di mappatura dei SE forniti dagli spazi aperti per valutare il 'valore della terra', utilizzando dati (ambientali, socio-economici, ecc.) presenti nelle banche dati provinciali e regionali. I SE sono stati raggruppati in approvvigionamento alimentare, regolamentazione e servizi ricreativi-culturali e rappresentati usando una mappa di colori rosso-verde-blu, con diverse sfumature di colore che indicano la prevalenza di alcuni SE rispetto ad altri. Questa rappresentazione consente una visione intuitiva delle aree con una vocazione più o meno forte alla fornitura di SE e l'elaborazione di possibili scenari di pianificazione, sulla base delle istanze e delle esigenze dei cittadini. Questo metodo costituisce uno strumento e una base informativa per la pianificazione delle aree rurali adiacenti alle aree urbane, attualmente adottato nelle fasi preliminari dei processi di pianificazione, in ultima analisi per sostenere uno sviluppo corretto ed equilibrato del territorio.
In 2018, the Netherlands launched a policy that made circular farming the guiding principle to sustain national agricultural practices and the wider food system. Since then, circular farming has been broadly embraced, particularly by the national agri-expert system. For Ede municipality, which is well-known for its concentration of intensive agricultural practices and associated environmental problems, circular farming brings major challenges. As part of ROBUST’s Living Lab work in Ede, regional implications for circular farming were inventoried, shared and discussed with stakeholders. This collaborative learning exercise also made links between circular farming and associated topics, such as: 1) municipal attempts to implement more integrative and participatory rural planning approaches; 2) Ede’s urban food policy making efforts and 3) prospects for novel rural business models. As concluded so far, circular farming may directly and indirectly strengthen regional ESS performances. It can directly influence agriculture’s ability to provide not only food, but other ESS related to agro-ecological circularity, like closing nutrient loops at the farm-level, as well as indirectly help minimize the impact of food production on other ESS through more industry-led circular farming ideas, like re-valorizing urban food waste and other opportunities to close nutrient cycles at the regional scale. Both circular farming trajectories are being explored in Ede and being interwoven with rural land use practices and preferences, urban and rural spatial planning, and stakeholders’ understanding of rural-urban interdependencies.
In 2018 lanceerde Nederlandse beleidswereld het begrip kringlooplandbouw als richtinggevend verduurzamingsprincipe voor ons voedselsysteem. Sindsdien is het begrip kringlooplandbouw sterk omarmd. Ook voor gemeente Ede, o.a. bekend vanwege haar concentratie van intensieve veehouderij met uiteenlopende milieu-opgaven, brengt de beoogde transitie naar kringlooplandbouw flinke inspanningen en beleidsuitdagingen met zich mee. Als onderdeel van het Europese ROBUST project, met een focus op stad-platteland relaties, zijn de regio-specifieke kansen en belemmeringen van kringlooplandbouw geïnventariseerd, gedeeld en bediscussieerd met uiteenlopende belanghebbenden. Dit gebiedsgerichte leerproces richtte zich verder op volgende aan kringlooplandbouw gerelateerde thema’s; 1) de gemeentelijke implementatie van de omgevingsvisie, met o.a. de opgave om tot meer integratieve en participatieve planning te komen; 2) het gemeentelijk voedselbeleid en 3) perspectieven voor nieuwe verdienmodellen op ’t platteland. Tot zover hebben de projectactiviteiten tot volgende conclusies geleid: kringlooplandbouw kent in Ede sterk uiteenlopende vergezichten, waarbij de mogelijke koppeling aan levering van aanvullende eco-systeem diensten direct dan wel indirect in ogenschouw wordt genomen. De vraag welke vorm van kringlooplandbouw in Ede te stimuleren is onlosmakelijk verbonden met planologische keuzes en opvattingen van belanghebbenden over op welk schaalniveau aan verduurzaming en versterking van toekomstige stad-platteland te werken.
Climate data predict that Gloucestershire County (UK) will experience more regular severe flooding events. Increases in surface water run-off linked to development, and the county’s extensive river network (including the Severn and Thames), mean flood risk management (FRM) remains a major concern for public safety, economic resilience and environmental conservation. Engineering solutions to protect properties in residential/commercial areas can be complemented with natural flood management (NFM) techniques: building retention ponds, planting trees, managing flood plains, reintroducing beaver populations. These interventions hold back water in upstream locations, slowing seasonal flows towards settlements downstream. Elsewhere, NFM has been implemented only to a limited extent. In Gloucestershire, NFM monitoring in several locations is indicating very promising results in terms of slowed down seasonal water flows. Municipal and NGO flood experts have proposed to take advantage of the ROBUST Living Lab to help initiate a network of NFM professionals covering Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, to coordinate NFM approaches to flooding in the region. The group will develop a joint work programme to extend and maintain strategic NFM interventions. The NFM network will engage with the English Severn and Wye Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC), a forum of councillors and national Environment Agency officials, which allocates funds for FRM in relation to river catchments. The impact of this practice is that NFM will become a more strategic aspect of rural-to-urban FRM, agreed and coordinated across the Lower Severn Catchment, and the NFM practitioners’ group could become a formal sub-group of the RFCC.
Ecosystem Services (ESS) are the benefits that natural ecosystems provide humans through materials, flows and business opportunities. ESS can also help establish new regional and local planning networks to define future social, environmental, and economic development. The ROBUST Lisbon Living Lab is working with the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) to explore how ecosystem services can be mapped and used in spatial planning to maximize take the greatest advantage of ESS benefits. They are investigating at which scale and level of detail ESS are most influential. In addition, they are developing the best approach to ensure that ecosystems add value to social and economic development, and are compatible with ecosystem enhancement and maintenance. The process started by mapping ecosystem services at the regional scale, to understand their meaning and what they can enable, and to help set policy directions to scale the concept and approach to municipal/local levels. The end goals are to help municipalities incorporate ESS into their routine planning practices, explore ecological connections across administrative boundaries, and identify new governance models for future cooperation. ESS can be used to guide land use planning and build land value (beyond the simple notion of land take), and can help develop new business models and sustainable practices that use ecosystem services, such as food production. ESS mapping can also improve knowledge about local rural-urban assets by sharing existing information, and creating new knowledge and sharing existing information about ecosystem services; identifying mutual dependencies and learning networks; and promoting innovative institutional frameworks to improve governance models.
Os serviços dos ecossistemas (SE) são os benefícios que os ecossistemas proporcionam aos seres humanos na forma de materiais, fluxos e oportunidades de negócio. Os SE contribuem para estabelecer novas redes no planeamento regional e local, e um desenvolvimento social, ambiental e económico futuro.
Na Área Metropolitana de Lisboa a equipa portuguesa do projeto ROBUST está a investigar como melhor aproveitar as vantagens dos SE através do seu mapeamento e uso no planeamento territorial. Na investigação analisa-se o detalhe que melhor expressa os SE a diferentes escalas territoriais, e qual a melhor abordagem para que os ecossistemas agreguem valor ao desenvolvimento social e económico, sem pôr em causa a compatibilidade com a manutenção dos benefícios obtidos com os SE.
O mapeamento dos SE começa na escala regional, para entender o seu significado e o que podem catalisar. O objetivo é definir diretrizes políticas para aplicar o conceito e a abordagem nos níveis municipal e local. Pretende-se ajudar os municípios da região a incorporar os SE nas suas práticas de planeamento, explorar as conectividades ecológicas entre os municípios e novos modelos de governança para futuros sustentáveis.
Considera-se assim que os SE podem criar valor no território, fornecendo orientação para o planeamento do uso do território, desenvolvendo novos modelos de negócios e práticas sustentáveis que usam SE, como a produção de alimentos. Os SE podem ainda melhorar o conhecimento sobre ativos rurais-urbanos locais, partilhando o conhecimento existente, e criando novos conhecimentos sobre os SE; identificar dependências mútuas e redes de aprendizagem; e promover estruturas institucionais inovadoras que melhorem os modelos de governança.
The 'New Localities' approach integrates absolute, relative and relational spaces, and looks beyond physical or administrative boundaries to find new or previously unutilised collaboration opportunities. Key concepts are "interconnectivity" and "coherence". The ROBUST project identified many examples where relative and relational space, and interconnectivity play a role. Titles in parenthesis correspond to summary reports found in the Publications Library on rural-urban.eu.
In Ljubljana (SI), villages along the Sava river have maintained a rural character but the number of farms is decreasing, and housing is increasingly converted to an urban lifestyle. The proximity to and accessibility of the city and a safe rural environment make this area attractive to urban inhabitants (S-LJU4). In Finland, seasonal mobility plays a central role in urban-rural population dynamics. Regionally, the seasonal population increase is the strongest in the amenity-rich areas of the seacoast, the Lakeland and the ski centres of northern Finland. In other rural regions, particularly in western Finland, loss of registered population is not balanced by a seasonal population increase (S-HEL2). In Lucca (IT), the main idea behind strengthening a local food system is to reconnect. 'New localities' is seen as a vision to be realised, a set of multifunctional spaces for social interaction, linked to the city, integrated with the already existing infrastructures and networks (S-LUC1). The Dyfi Biosphere in Wales (UK), is not organised around established administrative boundaries. Outside the “buffer zone” lies a more flexible “transition zone”, which can include settlements, agriculture, and resource use (S-MWA2).
The 'New Localities' approach integrates absolute, relative and relational spaces, and looks beyond physical or administrative boundaries to find new or previously unutilised collaboration opportunities. Key concepts are "interconnectivity" and "coherence". The ROBUST project identified many examples where relative and relational space, and interconnectivity play a role. Titles in parenthesis correspond to summary reports found in the Publications Library on rural-urban.eu.
In Ljubljana (SI), villages along the Sava river have maintained a rural character but the number of farms is decreasing, and housing is increasingly converted to an urban lifestyle. The proximity to and accessibility of the city and a safe rural environment make this area attractive to urban inhabitants (S-LJU4). In Finland, seasonal mobility plays a central role in urban-rural population dynamics. Regionally, the seasonal population increase is the strongest in the amenity-rich areas of the seacoast, the Lakeland and the ski centres of northern Finland. In other rural regions, particularly in western Finland, loss of registered population is not balanced by a seasonal population increase (S-HEL2). In Lucca (IT), the main idea behind strengthening a local food system is to reconnect. 'New localities' is seen as a vision to be realised, a set of multifunctional spaces for social interaction, linked to the city, integrated with the already existing infrastructures and networks (S-LUC1). The Dyfi Biosphere in Wales (UK), is not organised around established administrative boundaries. Outside the “buffer zone” lies a more flexible “transition zone”, which can include settlements, agriculture, and resource use (S-MWA2).
The potential for more beneficial relations between rural and urban areas depends on stakeholders’ capacity to reconcile conflicting interests and goals. Several examples from the ROBUST project highlight mitigating and managing conflicting interests; other examples illustrate how more beneficial relations could look. Titles in parenthesis correspond to summary reports found on rural-urban.eu.
Rural estates in the Netherlands often successfully integrate different land use goals. The related business models demonstrate a remarkable capacity to combine rural functions and strengthen rural-urban relations (S-EDE3). Clusters outside of Frankfurt/Rhine-Main (DE) and improved networking, contribute to more evenly dispersed spatial development. This reduces commuting and contributes to a more even provision of infrastructure. The concept of 'smart rural' links in Lucca (IT) addresses both environmental and social challenges. Organic farming and local, high-quality food production is connected to sustainable consumption (S-LUC3). Tukums (LV) market facilitates regional economic and social life. Overall activities increase in Tukums town on market days with a higher number of people visiting commercial and public institutions. The biggest share of local producers' revenue is spent in the region, contributing to the regional economy (S-TUK3).
Features of more future-oriented initiatives are the construction of win-win situations, cross-sectoral relations, and synergies between ecological, economic and social motivations. Generally, a deeper understanding of drivers and motivations at various spatial and temporal scales is crucial to design effective policies that support beneficial territorial relations.
The potential for more beneficial relations between rural and urban areas depends on stakeholders’ capacity to reconcile conflicting interests and goals. Several examples from the ROBUST project highlight mitigating and managing conflicting interests; other examples illustrate how more beneficial relations could look. Titles in parenthesis correspond to summary reports found on rural-urban.eu.
Rural estates in the Netherlands often successfully integrate different land use goals. The related business models demonstrate a remarkable capacity to combine rural functions and strengthen rural-urban relations (S-EDE3). Clusters outside of Frankfurt/Rhine-Main (DE) and improved networking, contribute to more evenly dispersed spatial development. This reduces commuting and contributes to a more even provision of infrastructure. The concept of 'smart rural' links in Lucca (IT) addresses both environmental and social challenges. Organic farming and local, high-quality food production is connected to sustainable consumption (S-LUC3). Tukums (LV) market facilitates regional economic and social life. Overall activities increase in Tukums town on market days with a higher number of people visiting commercial and public institutions. The biggest share of local producers' revenue is spent in the region, contributing to the regional economy (S-TUK3).
Features of more future-oriented initiatives are the construction of win-win situations, cross-sectoral relations, and synergies between ecological, economic and social motivations. Generally, a deeper understanding of drivers and motivations at various spatial and temporal scales is crucial to design effective policies that support beneficial territorial relations.
(Titles in parenthesis correspond to summary reports found in the Publications Library on rural-urban.eu.) In Ljubljana (SI), villages along the Sava river have maintained a rural character but the number of farms is decreasing, and housing is increasingly converted to an urban lifestyle. The proximity to and accessibility of the city and a safe rural environment make this area attractive to urban inhabitants (S-LJU4). In Finland, seasonal mobility plays a central role in urban-rural population dynamics. Regionally, the seasonal population increase is the strongest in the amenity-rich areas of the seacoast, the Lakeland and the ski centres of northern Finland. In other rural regions, particularly in western Finland, loss of registered population is not balanced by a seasonal population increase (S-HEL2). In Lucca (IT), the main idea behind strengthening a local food system is to reconnect. 'New localities' is seen as a vision to be realised, a set of multifunctional spaces for social interaction, linked to the city, integrated with the already existing infrastructures and networks (S-LUC1). The Dyfi Biosphere in Wales (UK), is not organised around established administrative boundaries. Outside the “buffer zone” lies a more flexible “transition zone”, which can include settlements, agriculture, and resource use (S-MWA2). The 'New Localities' approach integrates absolute, relative and relational spaces, and looks beyond physical or administrative boundaries to find new or previously unutilised collaboration opportunities. Key concepts are "interconnectivity" and "coherence".
The ROBUST project reviewed and summarized previous projects, studies and available datasets to find out what we know about the relations between urban, peri-urban and rural areas. The main challenges and questions that have motivated the studies can be found under the following categories:
Food/Agriculture: How can food production and consumption be reconnected to foster more sustainable food systems, as well as more beneficial rural-urban relations?
Eco-System Services: How can environmental quality and eco-system services be enhanced to strengthen rural-urban relations? How can improvements in green infrastructure be realised when space is limited?
New business models and labour markets: How to develop and implement new business models and new forms of territory-based cooperation that capture and valorise rural, environmental and cultural amenities?
Mobility and public infrastructure: How can the links between businesses and labour markets, and connectivity, improve rural-urban relations? How can mobility and logistics be made more sustainable?
Territorial development, planning and management: How to foster a more balanced regional development? Can the implementation of an economic/innovation cluster approach benefit rural and distant areas?
Technology: How can technological innovation benefit rural areas?
Social and cultural aspects: How can cultural activities foster quality of life, stimulate social inclusion and mitigate the consequences of depopulation in rural areas?
The resulting appraisal reports provide a rich resource base for spatial development planners, programmers and implementation agents. The reports can be found in the Publications Library at rural-urban.eu.
The ROBUST project reviewed and summarized previous projects, studies and available datasets to find out what we know about the relations between urban, peri-urban and rural areas. The main challenges and questions that have motivated the studies can be found under the following categories:
Food/Agriculture: How can food production and consumption be reconnected to foster more sustainable food systems, as well as more beneficial rural-urban relations?
Eco-System Services: How can environmental quality and eco-system services be enhanced to strengthen rural-urban relations? How can improvements in green infrastructure be realised when space is limited?
New business models and labour markets: How to develop and implement new business models and new forms of territory-based cooperation that capture and valorise rural, environmental and cultural amenities?
Mobility and public infrastructure: How can the links between businesses and labour markets, and connectivity, improve rural-urban relations? How can mobility and logistics be made more sustainable?
Territorial development, planning and management: How to foster a more balanced regional development? Can the implementation of an economic/innovation cluster approach benefit rural and distant areas?
Technology: How can technological innovation benefit rural areas?
Social and cultural aspects: How can cultural activities foster quality of life, stimulate social inclusion and mitigate the consequences of depopulation in rural areas?
The resulting appraisal reports provide a rich resource base for spatial development planners, programmers and implementation agents. The reports can be found in the Publications Library at rural-urban.eu.
The lack of basic financial services is an important challenge for rural areas. The Valencian Regional Government (Generalitat; NUTS 2), as part of a broader action against depopulation as part of Valencian Depopulation Agenda (AVANT), has launched an initiative against financial exclusion through cooperation mechanisms between local municipalities, private companies and regional government using cashier machines (ATM).
The Region acts as an intermediary between financial companies and municipalities through an Action Plan by promoting and incentivizing the installation of ATMs. Municipalities interested in participating in the initiative must commitment to providing a space in the town hall for the ATM, and must collaborate with both the Regional Government and the financial company to maintain the machines. The Regional Government has contracted for the supply and maintenance of ATMs for 4 years. To date, 124 municipalities have requested to participate, which would subsequently install 135 ATMs throughout the region.
This initiative can be developed thanks to the agreement reached with local governments that are likely to be beneficiaries (municipalities where there are currently no ATMs) as well as the private sector (private financial companies and beneficiaries of the subsidy of the service).
The initiative represents a new form of organisation, collaboration and management in the territory. This experience can provide suggestions and ideas for new cooperation models for efficiently using resources and public services, particularly in similar rural-urban regions.
La falta de servicios financieros básicos es un desafío importante para las zonas rurales. En la región de Valencia, el Gobierno Regional (Generalitat; NUTS 2), dentro de una amplia acción contra la despoblación como parte de la Agenda de Despoblación Valenciana (AVANT), ha lanzado una primera iniciativa a través de mecanismos de cooperación entre municipios, empresas privadas y gobierno regional contra la exclusión financiera mediante la instalación de cajeros automáticos. El Gobierno regional recibió la aprobación de las autoridades de la UE en enero de 2020.
La Región actúa como intermediario entre las compañías financieras y los municipios a través de un Plan de Acción promoviendo e incentivando la instalación de cajeros automáticos. Los municipios que puedan estar interesados en formar parte de este Plan de Acción deben asumir algunos compromisos, como habilitar un espacio en el ayuntamiento para la instalación del cajero automático y colaborar tanto con el Gobierno Regional como con la compañía financiera para el mantenimiento adecuado. El gobierno regional ha licitado el contrato para el suministro y mantenimiento de cajeros automáticos durante 4 años. Hasta la fecha, un total de 124 municipios han solicitado ser parte, lo que incluiría la instalación de 135 cajeros automáticos, siendo así un valor agregado para la sociedad rural.
Se puede desarrollar gracias al acuerdo alcanzado con los gobiernos locales que probablemente sean beneficiarios (municipios donde actualmente no hay cajeros automáticos), así como el sector privado (empresas financieras privadas y beneficiarios del subsidio del servicio).
La iniciativa representa una buena práctica del Living Lab de Valencia dedicado a identificar nuevas formas de organización, colaboración y gestión del territorio. Esta experiencia puede proporcionar sugerencias e ideas para nuevas formas de cooperación territorial en el uso eficiente de recursos y servicios públicos para otros Living Labs en el proyecto ROBUST, especialmente para otras regiones rurales-urbanas.
Digital infrastructure and ICT connectivity remains a challenge in many rural areas. This poses problems for local residents who need to access services and farmers who need to upload data and administrative returns. Hub models have the potential to address these challenges by providing digital access at a convenient, central and shared location. A pilot project in the rural county of Monmouthshire (Wales, UK) has demonstrated this potential. The RDP-funded project equipped village halls with superfast broadband connections and high-specification audiovisual equipment, which is available to local residents, farmers, businesses and voluntary organisations to access. An assessment of the pilot for the ROBUST project shows that: 1) village halls as an existing physical resource can be converted to digital hubs at low capital cost; 2) in areas where significant infrastructural investment would be required to provide blanket digital coverage, hubs are an affordable alternative that can be directly implemented by municipal or regional government; 3) digital technology can provide new opportunities for existing community spaces, including expanding events and audiences.
GUSTmobil is a cross-community micro-public transport service in the district of Graz-Umgebung, Metropolitan Area of Styria. The overall objective is to improve intra-local accessibility for everyday mobility, and to connect dispersed settlement areas to public transport nodes. Rides can be booked via phone or app, which provides real-time public transport information. GUSTmobil is a complementary offer and should not be understood as a competition to the existing lines of public transport. A special software therefore guarantees, in addition to efficient routing and ride pooling, the exclusion of parallel rides on existing public transport routes. A network of 1,800 collective stops in 29 participating municipalities of the district Graz-Umgebung in the Metropolitan Area of Styria enables the users easy access to departure and arrival points. Each journey is handled by regional taxi operators as contractual partners. Journey prices are calculated according to distance and number of passengers, starting at 3 € for up to 3.5 kilometres. After a three-year trial phase, GUSTmobil is a well-established mobility concept in the peri-urban area of Graz which was accompanied by the regional management of the Metropolitan Area of Styria. The micro-transport system has the potential to expand into further areas and play an important part in overall regional traffic. The concept will be expanded to further areas of the Metropolitan Area of Styria, starting in 2020. Implementing micro-transport projects requires transparent communication and public relations work to engage local residents and political actors, as well as to attract riders.
Bei GUSTmobil handelt es sich um ein mikroöffentliches Verkehrsangebot, welches eingerichtet wurde, um disperse Siedlungsgebiete an den höherrangigen öffentlichen Verkehr anzuschließen, und die innerörtliche Erreichbarkeit im Kontext der Alltagsmobilität zu gewährleisten. Fahrten können per Telefon oder über eine App, die in Echtzeit Informationen über den öffentlichen Verkehr liefert, gebucht werden. Das GUSTmobil ist ein ergänzendes Angebot und nicht als Konkurrenz zu den bestehenden Linien des öffentlichen Verkehrs zu verstehen. Daher garantiert eine spezielle Software neben einer effizienten Streckenführung und Poolingfahrten auch den Ausschluss von Parallelfahrten zu Bus und Bahn. Ein Netz aus 1.800 Sammelhaltestellen in 29 beteiligten Gemeinden des Bezirks Graz-Umgebung im Steirischen Zentralraumes ermöglicht den Nutzerinnen und Nutzern ein flächendeckendes Angebot mit geringen Entfernungen zum nächsten Einstiegspunkt. Jede Fahrt wird von Haltepunkt zu Haltepunkt von regionalen Taxiunternehmern als Vertragspartner abgewickelt. GUSTmobil kann, nach einem dreijährigen Projektbetrieb, als ein gut etabliertes Mobilitätskonzept im suburbanen Raum von Graz bewertet werden. Das Sammeltaxi hat das Potenzial noch weitere Gebiete zu erschließen und somit einen wichtigen Teil im gesamtregionalen Verkehr einzunehmen. Im benachbarten Bezirk Voitsberg erfolgt die Implementierung des Konzepts bereits im Laufe des Jahres 2020. Die Umsetzung des Projekts erfordert eine transparente Kommunikation und viel Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, um die regionale Bevölkerung sowie die politischen Akteurinnen und Akteure zu sensibilisieren.
In Finland, everyman's rights refer to the possibility for anyone to use nature, regardless of who owns the area. One can walk, cycle, or stay temporarily in nature (e.g. camping), pick wild berries, mushrooms and flowers, go angling and ice fishing or use waterways. However, one is not allowed to cause disturbance or harm to others or the environment. Thanks to everyman’s rights, people can enjoy nature and benefit from its ecosystem services, in forms of e.g. berries and mushrooms but also recreation and peace, for free. ROBUST's Helsinki Living Lab (LL) has focused on multilocality in its work. Multilocality is not a new phenomenon in Finland: the number of summer cottages and the time spent there have increased in recent decades. Summer cottages are mainly concentrated in places that can be called Ecosystem Hot Spots. These include lake areas and seashores, rivers and forests. The Living Lab has provided a platform for different stakeholders to meet each other and discuss the present and future of rural-urban interactions and synergies. Especially rural-urban dwellers (citymaalaiset) have been active stakeholders in promoting multilocality. They form a group of activists who enhance a lifestyle that combines the benefits of urban and rural life. The discussions have been lively and the understanding of each other’s interests and perspectives has grown. The aim of the LL is to create a new kind of network governance arrangement, a platform, that enables stakeholders to continue discussions even after the end of ROBUST project. Furthermore, the living lab underlines that it is important to strengthen bottom-up mechanisms in decision-making to enhance participation and democracy in the planning of the future.
Suomessa jokamiehenoikeudet tarkoittavat, että jokaisella on mahdollisuus oleskella luonnossa riippumatta siitä, kuka maa-alueen omistaa. Luonnossa voi kävellä, hiihtää, pyöräillä tai vaikka telttailla väliaikaisesti, poimia metsämarjoja, sieniä ja kukkia, onkia tai pilkkiä ja käyttää vesireittejä tai jääteitä. Muita ihmisiä tai luontoa ei kuitenkaan saa vahingoittaa. Jokamiehenoikeuksien ansiosta jokainen voi maksutta nauttia luonnosta ja ekosysteemipalveluiden tuottamista hyödyistä kuten marjoista ja sienistä mutta myös virkistäytymisestä ja rauhasta. Olemme Helsinki Living Labissa keskittyneet monipaikkaisuuteen, mikä tässä asiayhteydessä tarkoittaa etenkin mökkeilyä. Kesämökkien määrä ja niillä vietetty aika on kasvanut viime vuosikymmeninä. Kesämökkejä on etenkin alueilla, joilla on myös tarjolla paljon ekosysteemipalveluita, kuten järvialueilla, merenrannoilla, jokivarsilla tai metsien lähellä. Helsingissä ja Uudellamaalla on myös ekosysteemipalveluiden kannalta tärkeitä alueita. Helsinki Living Labissa eri sidosryhmien edustajat ovat kokoontuneet tutustumaan toisiinsa ja toistensa näkökulmiin. Etenkin citymaalaiset ovat olleet kiinnostuneita elämäntavasta, joka yhdistää kaupungin ja maaseudun parhaita puolia. Keskustelut ovat olleet eläväisiä ja ymmärrys toistemme intresseistä on parantunut. Living Labimme varsinainen päämäärä on kehittää uusi, pysyvämpi sidosryhmäverkosto, jolla keskustelua maaseudun ja kaupungin vuorovaikutuksesta ja kanssakäymisestä voi jatkaa, kun ROBUST-hankkeemme on jo päättynyt. Samalla haluamme painottaa, että osallistaminen ja lähidemokratia ovat erittäin tärkeitä näkökulmia tulevaisuuden suunnittelussa.
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are a form of local quality assurance that are based on active stakeholder participation, trust, social networks and knowledge exchange. Defined as a "second party” system (opposed to the "third party” system, where the controller must guarantee the absence of conflict of interest with the producer), both producers and consumers operate the certification. This process facilitates knowledge exchange between parties involved (i.e the producer who visits provides and receives useful technical information). It involves all stakeholders in the process, is locally-oriented and avoids extra costs for third-party certification from official control bodies. The PGS approach is currently being explored as a viable option for Red Bean producers in Lucca (IT). The "Red Bean" is one of several local agricultural varieties and an improtant part of local food history. Grown by peasant families for self-consumption and bartering, Red Beans have been recovered by farmers in the interest of preserving local culinary tradition. Supported by Slow Food and the regional Association of Custodian Farmers, the first aim of the process is to build knowledge about PGS and explore its application. The discussion is on defining the rules and tools, including guidelines and principles, governance structure and processes, and checklists and criteria for assessment. Establishing the Guarantee Committee to manage the PGS system is crucial: in addition to the producers, cooks, consumers and relevant NGOs will also be involved. PGS is of great interest for the local food policy, currently implemented by local authorities and communities and is potentially a great opportunity for local food producers.
I sistemi di garanzia partecipata (SGP) sono una forma di garanzia della qualità, basata sulla partecipazione attiva, la fiducia, le relazioni di rete e lo scambio di conoscenze. Definito come certificazione di 'parte seconda' (diverso dalla 'parte terza', in cui il responsabile deve garantire l'assenza di conflitto di interessi con il produttore) è un sistema in cui i produttori e i consumatori gestiscono la certificazione. Ciò supporta lo scambio di conoscenze (es. il produttore che visita un altro produttore fornisce e riceve informazioni tecniche utili), coinvolge le parti interessate nel processo ed è essenzialmente locale, consentendo di evitare i costi legati alla certificazione di parte terza effettuata da organismi di controllo ufficiali. Questo approccio è attualmente un'opzione di interessse per i produttori del fagiolo rosso di Lucca (Toscana, Italia). Il fagiolo rosso fa parte delle varietà della storia agricola e alimentare locale: coltivato dalle famiglie contadine per l'autoconsumo e il baratto, è stato recuperato dagli agricoltori, grazie all'interesse per la tradizione culinaria locale. Supportato da Slow Food e dall'Associazione regionale degli Agricoltori Custodi, l'obiettivo è quello di sviluppare conoscenze sul sistema SGP ed esplorarne l'applicazione. La discussione in corso riguarda la definizione delle regole e dei i principi, la struttura e i processi di governance, gli strumenti e i criteri per la valutazione. Il 'comitato di garanzia', che gestisce il sistema SGP coinvolge oltre ai produttori, i cuochi, i consumatori e le ONG interessate. L'SGP è uno strumento interessante per la politica alimentare locale ed è potenzialmente una grande opportunità per i produttori del territorio.
The urban-rural relations are intrinsically embodied in all the connections between urban markets and rural food producers. However, urban-rural relations and synergies and the benefits and detriments the links might cause have rarely been explicitly reflected upon and addressed in food initiatives. Thus, most of these synergies are created and recreated passively. This most likely is related to the fact that food-related initiatives, being heavily oriented to consumers, are mainly an urban phenomenon emerging from places that can operate independently from their rural surroundings. Consequently, food governance instruments like food strategies stress the importance of the urban vision of food provision yet have little or no-account regarding food system needs related to rural contexts. In the meantime, rural and urban food stakeholders’ goals and possibilities (for example access to technologies, capital, volunteers) can strongly differ as they are shaped by the territories these actors represent and by their functions in the food system. Therefore, if the food-related policy instruments are linking rural and urban sites anyway, they should be more attuned to the expectations, needs, opportunities and constraints in both urban and rural settings. In ROBUST, Tukums municipality illustrates that small urban centres embedded in their rural surroundings are more attuned to the needs and welfare of both those living in the city and the countryside. The Tukums food strategy makes a strategic, explicit connection between quality food provision to consumers and the need to ensure market access and income for farmers living and working in the municipality.
Lauku – pilsētu attiecības ir netieši ietvertas visās attiecībās, kas veidojas starp pilsētas patērētāju un laukos strādājošu pārtikas ražotāju. Vienlaikus, pārtikas iniciatīvas reti tieši analizē iespējamos ieguvumus un zaudējumus, ko iniciatīvas radītās saiknes var veicināt lauku-pilsētas mijiedarbes kontekstā. Attiecīgi, vairums no šīm attiecībām veidojas un tiek reproducētas pasīvi. Tas, visticamāk ir saistīts ar faktu, ka ar pārtiku saistītas iniciatīvas bieži fokusējoties uz patērētāja vajadzībām ir galvenokārt pilsētvides fenomens. Šādas iniciatīvas veidojas vietās, kas var veiksmīgi funkcionēt neņemot vērā apkārt esošo lauku teritoriju vajadzības. Rezultātā pārtikas pārvaldības instrumenti fokusējas uz pilsētu pārtikas sagādes vīziju tikai margināli pievēršoties vai vispār ignorējot laukiem aktuālās ar pārtikas apriti saistītās vajadzības. Tomēr ir jāņem vērā, ka lauku un pilsētas vidi pārstāvošo iesaistīto pušu mērķi un iespējas (piem., pieeja tehnoloģijām, finansējumam, brīvprātīgajiem) var nozīmīgi atšķirties. Šī iemesla dēļ, ja ar pārtiku saistītie politikas instrumenti jebkurā gadījumā saista lauku un pilsētu teritorijas, būtu nepieciešams fokusēties lai šie instrumenti ir jūtīgāki pret ekspektācijām, vajadzībām, iespējām un ierobežojumiem, kas izriet no abiem minētajiem kontekstiem. Robust projektā Tukuma novads ilustrē, ka mazas pilsētas, kuras ir spēcīgi sakņotas sev apkārtējā lauku vidē spēj labāk izjust gan pilsētās, gan laukos dzīvojošo iedzīvotāju vajadzības. Tukuma pārtikas stratēģija skaidri fokusējas uz saiknēm starp veselīgas pārtikas nodrošinājumu patērētājiem un nepieciešamību nodrošināt piekļuvi tirgiem un ienākumus zemniekiem, kuri novadā darbojas.
Supplying the public sector is challenging for local food producers. Schools close during productive times of year. Supply consistency, quantity requirements, legal compliance, paperwork and limited public budgets, and logistical challenges make the public plate a complex area to do business. In Gloucestershire (UK), the County Council is considering a Dynamic Procurement System (DPS) for its next school food contract in 2021. DPS is an on-line service that consolidates food supply available from registered producers, and presents this for sale on-line and in real time to public sector buyers (e.g. school chefs). Consolidation means that caterers don’t have to balance cost against a range of other qualities or food attributes (such as local). They’re simply presented with what is available on the day at a given price. For producers, this means that, once compliant, daily changing supply levels can be integrated into the DPS depending on what is in season or available. Currently, the County Council contracts its catering service to a private company that provides 18,000 school meals a day. Some local suppliers are involved in the current contract, but most food comes from regional or national suppliers. If the DPS is adopted, private catering contractors can use both major wholesalers and the DPS system in parallel to buy food directly from local producers; seasonal fresh foods can be supplied locally and larger wholesalers can supply dry or frozen goods. Public buyers benefit from competitive prices linked to economies of scale and direct sourcing of seasonal, local produce. Hopefully, DPS should be a way for more local producers of differing scales to find it practical, profitable and functional to supply the public sector.
The Zeleni zabojček (Green Crate) initiative was created in 2009 by local consumers to source produce from several Ljubljana area farms for a weekly seasonal fruit and vegetables distribution service. Today, the service now offers several subscription types and has the capability to process one-off orders. Its core service is still in the Ljubljana area, but it has expanded both its supply and delivery throughout Slovenia, thus increasing its produce variety and seasonality from submediterranean to alpine growing zones. Zeleni zabojček uses the internet and social media for marketing, tailor-made orders and delivery times, and matching the demand with the supply. It nudges clients with additional information on certain products, provides recipes for seasonal produce, and shares news about the company and its suppliers. ROBUST found that the following components were key to the initiative’s success: transparent operations paired with good communication and use of internet and social media (but without excluding less digital savvy customers); timely and predictable payments to farmers, guaranteeing them stable income; cold storage capacity and optimized transport for reduced delivery costs; consistent quality; order and payment flexibility; and a high level of trust from both farmers and consumers. The model expanded in 2013 into a cooperative with the local farmers, which also supplies kindergartens and schools. In 2014, a subsidiary company started to process excess produce into smoothies, juices, and similar products, which are sold commercially in the region. The model has now been copied by others, especially since March 2020, when farmers and shops had to reorganise sales and distribution due to Covid-19 outbreak restrictions.
Leta 2009 je v Ljubljani skupina lokalnih potrošnikov, ki jih je zanimala lokalna ekološko pridelana hrana, organizirala pobudo Zeleni zabojček. Ustanovljeno je bilo podjetje, ki je zbralo sezonsko sadje in zelenjavo z več kmetij na območju Ljubljane in jih začelo tedensko dostavljati v zabojih. Shema zdaj omogoča več vrst naročnin in enkratna naročila. Osnovne storitve Zelenega zabojčka so še vedno na območju Ljubljane, vendar je razširil oskrbo in dobavo po Sloveniji in tako povečal sezonskost in raznolikost pridelkov od submediteranskega do alpskega podnebja. Zeleni zabojček uporablja internet in družbena omrežja za trženje, prilagojena naročila in roke dostave ter usklajevanje povpraševanja s ponudbo. Kupce spodbuja z dodatnimi informacijami o pridelkih, recepti in novicami o podjetju in njegovih dobaviteljih. Ključ do uspeha je bila preglednost delovanja, združena z dobro komunikacijo in uporabo interneta in družbenih omrežij (a brez izključevanja digitalno manj pismenih), dobro in pravočasno plačilo kmetom, ki le-tem zagotavlja stabilen dohodek, zagotavljanje hladilnice in optimizacijo prevoza za nižje stroške dostave, dosledna kakovost, prilagodljivost naročil in plačil ter visoka stopnja zaupanja tako kmetov kot kupcev. Model so leta 2013 razširili v zadrugo z lokalnimi kmeti, ki oskrbuje tudi vrtce in šole, leta 2014 pa je nastalo ločeno podjetje, ki predeluje viške ekoloških pridelkov v smoothije, sokove in podobno za prodajo prek Zelenega zabojčka, trgovskih verig, manjših trgovin in eko restavracij. Model so zdaj uspešno kopirali drugi, zlasti od marca 2020 dalje, ko so morali kmetje in trgovci reorganizirati prodajo in distribucijo pridelkov zaradi omejitev povezanih z epidemijo Covid-19.
The Ljubljana Local Food Marketplace (Marketplace) is a biannual on-site event that combines a Stock Exchange approach and “speed dating” to connect local food producers with local large-scale consumers, like public institutions (kindergartens, schools, and hospitals), but also large companies and restaurants. The events have been organised by the Municipality of Ljubljana, Tourist Office Ljubljana, Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana Urban Region, Ljubljana Agricultural Advisory Service, and EKOmeter since 2018. The Ljubljana Local Food Marketplace event provides an initial contact point and marketing opportunity for local producers and consumers interested in procuring local products. Only a third of the participants are repeatedly involved; once contacts and direct sales are established, they do not need repeated Marketplace marketing. The Marketplace also provides a starting point for local restaurateurs looking for fresh and organic produce, and public institutions that are just starting with local sourcing. A successful Local Food Marketplace event requires close coordination and promotion between various institutions and associations at many scales, like the Agricultural Advisory Service, local authorities, and sustainability initiatives. The work from the ROBUST Ljubljana Living Lab found that regular organisation of such a Marketplace can help shorten food supply chains and increase local sales, encourage the use of reusable packaging, and strengthen networks and local partnerships.
Od leta 2018 v Ljubljani organizirajo Borzo lokalnih živil, ki je kombinacija borznega pristopa in „hitrih zmenkov“ med lokalnimi proizvajalci hrane in potrošniki, ki se v časovnih presledkih gibljejo med razstavnimi mizami. V organizaciji Mestne občine Ljubljana, Turizma Ljubljana, Regionalne razvojne agencije Ljubljanske urbane regije, Kmetijske svetovalne službe in zavoda EKOmeter je novembra 2019 4. izvedba borze privabila 20 proizvajalcev in 34 potrošnikov. Glavni rezultat ljubljanske Borze lokalnih živil je izvirno stičišče med lokalnimi proizvajalci in zainteresiranimi potrošniki (večinoma javne ustanove z lastnimi kuhinjami, kot so vrtci, šole, domovi za ostarele, pa tudi restavracije). Le tretjina udeležencev se je Borze udeležila večkrat: ko vzpostavijo stike in neposredno prodajo, ne potrebujejo nadaljnjega trženja na Borzi. Borza lokalnih živil obenem ponuja izhodišče za lokalne restavracije, ki iščejo sveže in ekološke pridelke, in javne ustanove, ki šele začenjajo z lokalnim naročanjem. Predpisi o javnih naročilih zahtevajo nakup po najnižji ceni z izjemo 20% proračuna, zato javne ustanove to izjemo uporabljajo za nakup lokalnih prehrambenih proizvodov, ki so bolj sveži, kakovostnejši, vendar dražji. Število takih javnih institucij narašča, s čimer spodbujajo bolj zdrav življenjski slog. Nekateri izkušnjo uporabljajo tudi pri poučevanju. Za uspeh lokalnega trga s hrano je potrebno usklajevanje med različnimi institucijami in promocija prek združenj, kmetijske svetovalne službe, lokalnih oblasti in pobud za trajnostni razvoj. Redna organizacija takšne Borze lokalnih živil lahko skrajša oskrbne verige in poveča lokalno prodajo, ponovno uporabo embalaže, mreženje in lokalna partnerstva.
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
Project coordinator
Project partners
-
Project partner