#EURegionsWeekUniversity - The impact of digital transition in rural areas, how to avoid exclusion and inequalities - 11WS22273

Workshop
Digital Transition

Information

Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires the implementation of profound changes in the agricultural and food sectors as strategic keys to promote a sustainable agro-ecological transition. The added value of this session is to think and share how digital technology contributes to the emergence of innovations in favour of agro-ecological transition in agriculture, avoiding the increase of risk and digital divide and social inequalities. Agriculture and food are strategic sectors, not only because they are essential to feed an ever-growing population, but also because they heavily exploit natural resources and can lead to negative effects in terms of pollution and loss of biodiversity. The adoption of digitalisation is more related to human than technological brakes. Therefore, a collective strategy and digital culture needs to be consolidated as key ingredients for a more inclusive society.

This session is supported by the H2020 project DESIRA on impacts of digitalisation on rural areas, agriculture and forests. It aims to improve the capacity of society to respond to the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation in rural areas. The leading organisers work together in this European project to investigate the current theories, methodological approach, tools and policy recommendations relevant to the new challenges. The team will provide news, insights, highly policy-oriented conclusions and recommendations. Discussion with the audience will provide insights.

This session sheds light on how the digital transition can contribute to a more inclusive agro-ecological transition with a particular focus on rural areas. The digital transition is not just a bundle of innovations, but a deeper transformation of the whole system. We identify the potential offered by digital tools in order to reduce negative impacts. We invite participants to explore new solutions (i.e. Long Term Vision for Rural areas, National Plan and/or the Common Agricultural Policy).

The workshop will discuss the diffusion and impact of digitalisation, with a particular focus on issues pertaining to sustainable and more inclusive agro-ecological transition. The session will address questions such as: How do we avoid exclusion, inequalities and the increase of digital divide inside rural areas and between rural and urban areas? The session discusses the conditions that can promote fair, equitable, healthy and environmentally friendly food systems. Policy support is needed to ensure that a digital divide is avoided and to maximize the potential for more inclusive societies by 2040. To provide the expected effects, it is important to be aware that digitalisation is, first of all, a process of social transformation, which takes place both as an effect and as a driver of technological change. Each speaker will have about 20 minutes to present key arguments on one aspect of this challenge. Attendees will ask questions, which will be collected by the moderator and posed back to the speakers. The session will then be opened to the audience.

 

 

Partners
Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP)European Regional Science Association (ERSA)Regional Studies Association Europe Foundation (RSA Europe)
Language(s)
English (EN)

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