18. What can Smart Villages do for the food industry, bio-economy, and to promote rural tourism?

“Smart Villages, digitization, precision agriculture, smart food production are fundamental keywords for the future of the sustainable food chain. Furthermore, nutrition and diets have changed for the younger generations, and it is increasingly important to understand what we need to do to adapt to the new way in which people eat or want to eat in a healthy and sustainable way. In this context, the interconnection and networking of local production, processing and marketing of products plays an important role in the management of rural areas and the development of smart villages.

It is important to underline that through accommodation facilities, outdoor activities and gastronomy, we can better promote rural tourism. In this way, we can make a great contribution to the promotion and strengthening of European cultural heritage and customs, as well as diverse landscapes, traditional rural ways of living and working, food culture and gastronomy as a unique experience.

In this event EFF and RUMRA will try to understand 1) How important it is, for the development of smart villages, the combination of solid agricultural policies of promoting diversified rural economy with the provision of adequate rural infrastructure, and how is it possible to reach it? 2) How can we promote rural tourism in the EU? 3) What measures are needed to better protect and strengthen the housing and catering sector in rural areas? And 4) Explore the role of rural tourism in the fight against rural exodus but also as an alternative source of income on the farm.”