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<p>Nowadays, the issue of rural development has a central place on the agenda of policy-makers, prompting a discussion on the instrumental and procedural options of public policies. This paper seeks to contribute to the reflection on the potentialities and limitations of promoting rural development based on innovative strategies sustained by territorial governance modalities, which entail an active involvement of local agents, especially local authorities. For this, it takes as case studies three public policy experiences led by local authorities within a Portuguese low-density region, with one of the lowest development rates among EU regions. Specifically, it aims to discuss: (a) the effectiveness of adopting innovative policies in the context of low-density rural areas; and (2) the role of territorial governance in the success of those policies. The research followed a document analysis and interviews with local development actors. The analysis suggests that peripheral rural areas are not condemned to human desertification. There is a wide spectrum of opportunities for these areas. They can bring together a strategic view of the future, and an institutional leadership capable of dynamizing an adjusted territorial governance model. This is the challenge currently facing rural development policy.</p>
</abstract>

Nowadays, the issue of rural development has a central place on the agenda of policy-makers, prompting a discussion on the instrumental and procedural options of public policies. This paper seeks to contribute to the reflection on the potentialities and limitations of promoting rural development based on innovative strategies sustained by territorial governance modalities, which entail an active involvement of local agents, especially local authorities. For this, it takes as case studies three public policy experiences led by local authorities within a Portuguese low-density region, with one of the lowest development rates among EU regions. Specifically, it aims to discuss: (a) the effectiveness of adopting innovative policies in the context of low-density rural areas; and (2) the role of territorial governance in the success of those policies. The research followed a document analysis and interviews with local development actors. The analysis suggests that peripheral rural areas are not condemned to human desertification. There is a wide spectrum of opportunities for these areas. They can bring together a strategic view of the future, and an institutional leadership capable of dynamizing an adjusted territorial governance model. This is the challenge currently facing rural development policy.

Innovative Local Policies in Portuguese Low-Density Rural Areas

ICSTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa

European Countryside

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Innovative Local Policies in Portuguese Low-Density Rural Areas"}

Nowadays, the issue of rural development has a central place on the agenda of policy-makers, prompting a discussion on the instrumental and procedural options...

Innovative Local Policies in Portuguese Low-Density Rural Areas

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 388 - 409

Received: Oct 17, 2020

Accepted: Feb 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0024

Keywords
Rural development policy, Innovative local policies, low-density rural areas, local authority action, Portugal

© 2021 Raul Lopes et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Innovative Local Policies in Portuguese Low-Density Rural Areas

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 388 - 409

Received: Oct 17, 2020

Accepted: Feb 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0024

KeywordsRural development policy, Innovative local policies, low-density rural areas, local authority action, Portugal

© 2021 Raul Lopes et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Rural development policy, Innovative local policies, low-density rural areas, local authority action, Portugal