Short presentation

«Pueblos vivos » (‘Living Villages’) is an interterritorial cooperation project aiming to reverse the depopulation problem in rural areas of Aragon (Spain). As a pilot project, it established and tested a methodology of work to support the population in rural areas and attract new settlers.

The project is supported by LAG Centro de Desarrollo de Somontano.

Goals

Combating depopulation and attracting new inhabitants to sparsely populated rural areas (3 to 6 inhabitants per km2).

Contexte (territory issues, targeted audience)

The autonomous community of Aragon is a landlocked region in the northeast of Spain. Victims of the rural exodus, the villages nevertheless offer a good quality of life sought by urban dwellers.

Actions implemented

The project is based on the active involvement of local people and local administrations. They will benefit from a series of actions such as awareness raising and training, collection and publication of information of interest for new settlers, actions to support the local population to remain in their territory as well as actions to improve the attractiveness of the three areas involved. The project promoter is the LAG Centro de Desarrollo de Somontano.

Funding

EAFRD
Government of Aragon

Global cost (in Euros) : 100 063 €

Human resources and partners

A partnership was established with a French association "Los localos" which has been working for 20 years on the theme of desertification in rural areas. The Beaujolais Vert LAG is also working on this subject.

Other information

Project's start year :

Points of vigilance, difficulties to pass through, success factors

• The "top": An integrated action strategy (various aspects influencing rural depopulation addressed such as employment, housing, Internet connection, communication network, services to the population, etc.)
• Points of vigilance: Flexibility is essential: the project has adapted the actions to the needs and characteristics of each specific case.
• Good practices (in terms of approach, tools or levers): the involvement of the population and local actors - in this case through a network of volunteers - was the key to the success of the initiative.

GO FURTHER
- “volver al pueblo” platform (return to the village): http://volveralpueblo.org/
- Les Localos (France)

Structure

LAG Centro de Desarrollo de Somontano (Non profit organization )

file realized by ENRD (European Network for Rural Developement)

palomafabregas@cedersomontano.com

https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/projects-practice/pueblos-vivos-living-villages_en

Supported by LEADER

LAG Centro de Desarrollo de Somontano
www.cedersomontano.com