Enabling rural and agricultural transformation
Connectivity can revitalise rural life by offering access to services, jobs, and urban communities without geographical proximity.
The challenge
Europe’s rural areas are home to more than 20% of the continent’s population, but account for only 14% of its GDP. Generations of urbanisation have left rural areas underrepresented in terms of services and opportunities, with corresponding socio-economic outcomes. Bridging the increasing rural-urban divide can increase Europe’s productivity by tapping into underused talent pools as well as improving access to rural markets and resources.
Europe needs to strengthen its existing rural sectors and promote rural economic diversification. This will improve the lives and outcomes of rural populations and relieve pressures in cities associated with increasing urbanisation.
Driving positive change
With respect to income and employment, connectivity allows for remote working that keeps talent in rural communities. It also supports rural SMEs and entrepreneurs, not least farmers, by expanding income and employment opportunities while facilitating decarbonisation.
Next-generation connectivity will have a crucial role in improving crop yields, supporting sustainability, and increasing opportunities for remote or flexible working in jobs traditionally limited to those living in cities.
Relevant policy positions
Rural Connectivity Report
Enhancing the lives and prospects of those living in rural areas has long been the vision of EU and national governments. Access to digital infrastructure and fast, reliable connectivity are key for people to improve their livelihoods and for businesses to flourish in rural communities across Europe. And looking to the future, next generation networks will create new jobs in rural economies, improve agricultural productivity and enhance local public services. This new report, ‘Enhancing Rural Connectivity’ produced by Deloitte and commissioned by Vodafone, is a useful tool for governments and policymakers to assess the socio-economic benefits of enhanced rural connectivity, and the policy options and reforms needed to improve digital connectivity, with useful examples of how this can be achieved.
Progress towards the EU’s Digital Decade ambition
The European Union’s (EU) Digital Decade, which sets key targets on different digital areas until 2030, is the EU’s vision for Europe’s digital transformation and a critical element in Europe maintaining its global competitiveness in a rapidly changing world. Yet the proportion of businesses using cloud technology, in particular, must significantly increase in order to meet the European Commission’s Digital Decade 2030 goal. In this report, produced by Deloitte and commissioned by Vodafone, four key policy enablers are set out that could help enable the EU to realise its European Digital Decade goals.