2nd Regional Stakeholder Group Meeting in Catalonia

Good practices in relation to digitalisation, the green and blue economy, and sustainability to boost rural areas were presented in the 2nd catalan commitee.

Catalonia has a large rural area that needs to be strengthened to ensure its economic, social, and labor viability.

Good Practices in Innovation and Digitalization

The following good practices, presented in the commitee, focus on improving innovation in rural areas, specifically digitalization:

• Digitization Master Class: A master class presenting tools and strategies to improve digitization in rural areas.
• e-Residency: An initiative that allows entrepreneurs to establish and manage a business digitally in Estonia, offering multiple advantages for internationalization and remote management.

During the meeting with Estonian partners, we visited the following institutions:

• TalTech University Technology Center Mektory: Technology center of the Tallinn University of Technology, promoting innovation and collaboration projects between students and companies.
• Tehnopol Startup Incubator: Incubator for technology start-ups, supporting them with mentoring, funding, and resources.

Good Practices in Green and Blue Economy and Sustainability

Regarding the green and blue economy and sustainability, the highlighted good practices are:

• Circuléire: An Irish project dedicated to promoting the circular economy, aiming to reduce waste and make more efficient use of resources.

During the meetings with European partners, we learned about the following initiatives:

• Bioconnect: An initiative in Ireland focused on biotechnology and sustainable solutions.
• Integrated Control of Nutrient Pollution: A Romanian project working on the efficient management of nutrients to minimize pollution.
• Circular Slovakia: A Slovak program promoting the transition to a circular and sustainable economy.
• Bord na Móna: An Irish company dedicated to the sustainable management of natural resources.

These good practices help Catalonia to enrich itself with the knowledge of European countries to implement efficient and sustainable strategies, ensuring the development and prosperity of its rural areas and guaranteeing a better future for the new generations.

More Information about the Project and the Strategic Committee

The objective of the ORIGINN project is to position innovation in the agri-food sector as a central element to address a challenge affecting rural areas in Catalonia and other parts of the Union: the social and economic gap between these areas and urban areas, which generates rural exodus linked to fewer opportunities. By generating business and employment opportunities with greater added value (thanks to innovation), the aim is to revitalize the sector in these territories and make it one of the central elements of their growth.

One of the main activities planned within the project is the creation of a Strategic Committee made up of representatives of the actors involved in the territory, such as companies, research centers, local or sectoral entities, administration, among others.

This committee focuses on the work areas of the ORIGINN project: to discuss strategies and public policies related to rural development and innovation in the agri-food sector, propose measures and instruments to strengthen these strategies and policies, and serve as a meeting space for representatives of the sector with interests in the rural environment to discuss and propose collaborative projects and initiatives.