The OECD Rural Development Conference Series began in 2002 in Siena, Italy. It serves as the leading global platform for policy officials, experts, private sector representatives and civil society to exchange ideas, enhance networks and share insights on rural policies across the OECD and partner countries. The conference addresses trends, and best practices and shapes the OECD’s rural development agenda, including defining and measuring the performance of rural regions, evaluating policies among OECD member countries, and conducting thematic studies.
Rural development
A thriving rural community relies on factors such as quality services, accessible education and healthcare, environmental amenities, business opportunities, and strong social trust. The OECD analyzes and adapts policies, working closely with member countries, to address diverse rural challenges, to strengthen economies and support inhabitants while guiding governments in implementing effective rural development policies.
Key messages
Rural policies should be forward-looking and anticipatory to tackle the challenges and opportunities brought by megatrends. These transformative forces, such as globalisation, digitalisation, demographic change, and the shift to a low carbon economy, impact our economies and societies. While megatrends and global shocks provide challenges in addressing disparities, they also offer opportunities to boost sustainability and resilience.
The OECD’s Rural Well-being Framework serves as a key instrument to guide place-based policies in rural areas. Prioritising the well-being of citizens, it recognises the diversity of rural places thanks to a deeper understanding of their complex socio-economic systems and their connection to cities.
Rural policies have an important role to play in reaching net-zero GHG emission targets, but too often, their role is undervalued in national policy strategies. Climate change policies often spatially blind, targeted to specific sectors or apply uniformly within countries. This approach risks policy fragmentation and sub-optimal outcomes, leading to inefficient use of public funds and trade-offs between climate change mitigation and other goals. A place-based approach, mobilising local stakeholders and knowledge, can enhance capabilities for managing transition processes effectively.
The shift towards clean energy will increase mineral demand, necessitating a green and digital transformation in mining. Given its regional concentration, mining profoundly impacts local development amid global shifts. Addressing the challenges and opportunities of mining specialisation requires a subnational policy approach.
Context
Urban rural divides is an ongoing long-term trend
Metropolitan regions have been attracting people and economic activity over the past decades and this trend will continue over the medium and long term due to their economies of agglomeration. This has created an urban-rural divide that can fuel geographies of discontent. Rural regions will need to improve well-being standards under shrinking demographic conditions and ageing.
Rural areas are places of opportunity
Delivering quality and affordable digital connectivity in rural regions can future-proof rural economies to ensure they can reap the potential benefits of digitalisation, climate change and innovation in addition to delivering services in more effective and cheaper ways. Although the gaps in broadband coverage have diminished in recent years, there are still significant gaps in the quality of download speeds.
