Enhancing Innovation in rural regions

Reducing the geography of discontent for innovation and well-being in rural regions

WHAT'S THE ISSUE?

Innovation is the key to unlocking opportunities in rural regions. However, what drives innovators and early innovation adopters in a rural context is not well understood.

Exploring and understanding this knowledge will:

Help rural areas improve their growth and well-being prospects, including better engaging women, youth and older workers.
Help policy makers support reforms to:
- Shift rural policies on placed-based innovation beyond a subsidy and sector-specific approach;
- Understand how to overcome challenges of scale and density for delivering innovation and entrepreneurship support; and
- Go beyond a science and technology-based approach to innovation.

WHAT CAN THE OECD OFFER?

The OECD is engaged in a new project on harnessing the innovation potential of rural areas. Rural regions across the OECD now depend on a wide range of economic engines for growth. Increasing networks through improved communications, increased mobility and reduced geographic distances are important drivers of economic change in rural areas.

More about rural innovation

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

WEBINAR: ADAPTIVE ECONOMIES - STRATEGIES FOR RESILIENT REGIONAL POLICY MAKING

On 20 May 2021, the OECD welcomed Amin Toufani, CEO of Silicon Valley based T Labs and founder of Adaptability.org to present a session titled “Adaptive Economies: Strategies for Resilient Regional Policy Making”. Participants learned about technological advancements impacting our economies and lifestyles at an exponential rate, along with implications for regional and rural development. Mr. Toufani offered a future-readiness framework for adaptive policy-making with the goal of turning barriers into opportunities for regional growth.

Read the proceedings

Areas of work

RURAL POLICY REPORTS & PAPERS

Enhancing Rural Innovation in the United States

Enhancing Rural Innovation in Scotland, UK

Networks and Rural-Urban Linkages for Rural Innovation

Bridging the Digital Divide in G20 Countries

Assessing spatial disparities in Internet quality using speed tests

Unlocking rural innovation

Enhancing Innovation in Rural Regions of Switzerland

Edinburgh Policy Statement on Enhancing Rural Innovation

Innovation and Modernising the Rural Economy