Rural Community

SMART RURAL COMMUNITIES

A smart community is a community in which local government, business, education, healthcare and residents understand the potential of technology. Form alliances to work together to use it and transfer life and work in their area in significant and positive ways.

Applying latest technologies in the rural areas allows to deliver improvements for the local society and business organizations.

The main characteristics of smart and competitive rural communities are as follows:

Rural broadband. Fast broadband connections are increasingly important for rural areas to compete and thrive in the modern economy. Smart approaches to rural development need to support the provision of such ervices in often isolated rural areas.

Digital technologies. New technologies can enable rural businesses to reach new and broader markets. They can support rural retailers and producers to build websites. Social media and phone applications giving them direct access to consumer, offering the potential to inrease both their sales and profit margins.

Farm modernisation. The modernisation of farming practices and equipment can be a vital factor in ensuring that agricultural production will be competitive. This can involve high-tech as well as small-scale innovations. Which can be applicable to smaller as well as larger rural producers.

Market. To support the competitiveness of producers it is essential to look also at ways of developing access to market. It is required support, that can be used to help producers to overcome barriers ro accessing existing markets or to develop new or higher value products to expand or create markets.

Rural diversification. Smart approaches to rural development need to think about the broad rangeof rural economic activities. Beyond the key strands of agricultural and forestry production. Diversification can mean rural producers expanding their activities. Into new areas or other forms of rural entrepreneuership, many of which are still closely linked with forestry and farming.

Sustainable communities. Smart approaches to rural development need to ensure that rural communities are vibrant and attractive places to live and work. Ensuring the provision of sustainable rural services – including schools and shops – alongside job creation – can create positive cycles of local development.

In order to create the programmes of the socio-economic development in the rural areas, we established the Smart Community Accelerator.

Zabielski Foundation

13/15, Podwale Street, room 114
00-252 Warsaw

info@zabielskifoundation.org
tel. (+48) 518 078 003