Authors: Merveille Ntabuhashe and Maite Iglesias (AEIDL) The GRANULAR & RUSTIK Joint Final Conference took place on 24 and 25 June 2026 at the Fondation Universitaire in Brussel. Organised by the European...
GRANULAR releases Multi-Actor Labs cross-visit dossiers from across Europe
The GRANULAR project just published five Living Lab cross-visit dossiers, offering a deep dive into innovative rural development strategies from its Multi-Actor Labs in France, Italy, Poland, Scotland, and Spain. These reports are the result of a collaborative...
Who Does What in Rural Proofing?
Author: Giulia Martino (Ecorys) Rural proofing rarely follows a neat or linear path. When applied in real settings, it quickly raises practical questions. Who produces the evidence? Who makes sense of it? And who finally uses the results? These questions...
Beyond data: why belonging shapes rural Europe’s future
Author: Aleksandra Pawlowska (European Rural Development Network – ERDN) A GRANULAR perspective on the PREMIUM_EU final conference at the European Committee of the Regions. On 10 March 2026, the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels...
Beyond GDP and smarter indicators: GRANULAR Bootcamp explores how to measure what really matters for rural areas
Author: Maite Iglesias & Merveille Ntabuhashe Designing better policies for rural areas requires better ways of measuring what actually matters. This was the central message emerging from the GRANULAR Knowledge Transfer Accelerator Bootcamp held online...
GRANULAR partners discuss final phase of the project at General Assembly
Yesterday, GRANULAR held its sixth General Assembly online, as the project enters its final months before concluding in September 2026. The meeting allowed partners to align on remaining tasks and reflect on key results achieved so far. An integrated...
Climate neutrality in EU rural areas: from measurement to action
Author: Merveille Ntabuhashe (AEIDL) Rural areas are central to Europe’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Covering nearly 80% of the EU’s territory and hosting vast natural resources, rural regions hold enormous potential for climate mitigation and...
GRANULAR’s assesses what is still missing in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
Author: Serafin Pazos-Vidal (AEIDL) The European Commission’s proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework will shape rural development for the next decade. The European Commission tabled ambitious proposals last...
Changing patterns of farmland ownership in Europe raise sustainability questions
Farmland ownership in Europe is shifting from family farms toward corporate and group holdings, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. While company-owned farms often improve economic performance, this trend raises concerns about food security, rural livelihoods,...
New GRANULAR report shows what matters for rural wellbeing
Author: Gundi Knies, Thünen-Institute of Rural Studies Wellbeing, fairness, and resilience are central goals of the European Commission’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA), yet the drivers of wellbeing remain complex and...