Projektu iesniegšanas termiņš 2012.gada 30 novembris.

Tuvāka informācija par konkursu „RURAGRI” mājas lapā : http://www.ruragri-era.net

Projektu pieteikumus var iesniegt šādos tematiskos virzienos:

a. Ecosystem Services/Public Goods

1) Identify the various types and quality of ecosystem goods and services in different rural areas and improve monitoring systems of goods and services to ensure their sustainability

2) Enhance methods measuring the value of goods and services on spatial and temporal scales for monitoring, including indicators for follow up and impact assessment. Research could consider the development of governance systems, procedures and tools managing ecosystem goods and services in a regional perspective.

3) Increase understanding of how to achieve mutual benefits between economic development in rural areas and the delivery of public goods. Define tools for marketing these values to the general public and to decision makers. Assess the influence of production and consumption patterns on the use of ecosystem goods and services in different rural areas. Identify best practices, innovative solutions and system innovation suitable for use in rural areas.

b. Socio-Economic Development

4) Explore economic activities, public and private services, provision of infrastructure and technology to enhance sustainability and identify best practices supporting vibrant rural areas.

5) Identify barriers that hinder innovation and evaluate novel mechanisms and socioeconomic structures (networks) which encourage innovation in rural areas.

6) Identify and evaluate agricultural development trajectories in different rural areas paying particular attention to the potential for specialisation and/or diversification.

7) Assess the reasons for migration and the impacts on the quality of life, culture and social identity for different types of rural areas. This should include studies on the potential of migration on the capacity for innovation in different types of rural areas.

8) Assess and evaluate the implications of mobility and commuting on the quality of life, culture and social identity for the potential and sustainable development of different types of rural areas.

9) Identify the diversity of urban-rural relationships and evaluate their potential to contribute to sustainable rural development, assessing best practices in the management of rural-urban relationships. Research in this area might also consider issues related to the use of ecosystem services.

10) Identify the mechanisms of interaction between sectoral policies and their intended and unintended territorial impacts. Formulate recommendations for the coordination of sectoral policies fostering synergies. Research in this area might also consider issues related to land use and/or ecosystem services.

c. Land Use and Land Management

11) Explore and evaluate innovative land use and management practices to overcome conflicting demands on land and identify best practices.

12) Evaluate those economic networks utilising natural resources that result in increasing demands on land use; identify and explore novel resource efficient networks. This research could include consumer perspectives.

13) Assess multifunctionality of agriculture and how this concept could overcome land use conflicts and contribute to diversification of rural economies. Research linking the concepts of multifunctionality, ecosystem services and public goods is also of interest.

14) Assess land use implications of new paradigms (e.g. green growth).