• The objective of these awards is to raise awareness and disseminate projects benefiting from the 2014-2020 EAFRD funds.
• This year the awards seek to inspire rural youth with the slogan "The future is youth."
• There are 4 thematic categories and a fifth by popular vote
• The National Rural Network (RRN) is the entity responsible for managing applications in Spain.

Without young people, there is no future. And without generational renewal, a future in rural areas is impossible. Hence, this year, and in line with the European Year of Youth , the long-term vision for rural areas and theRural Pact   developed by the European Commission, the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) announce the 4th edition of the “ European Rural Inspiration Awards 2022” , aimed especially at rural youth.

Thus, this year's leitmotif is "The future is youth." Under this premise, Member States are encouraged to submit EAFRD rural development projects in these four categories:

• Green Futures (sustainability projects for the environment)
• Digital futures (including innovation and new technologies)
• Resilient Futures (for projects that contribute to strengthening the economic resilience of rural areas)
• Innovative and socially inclusive futures (for innovative and inclusive projects with the entire rural community)

The jury will name a winner for each of the four thematic categories. In addition, the shortlisted projects involving young people (under 40) will advance to the popular vote , which will award a project involving young people from rural areas through virtual voting.

Rules and objectives of the contest

The aim of these awards is to inspire groups and collectives to replicate and undertake similar initiatives in other rural areas that can address the economic, environmental, and social challenges of rural areas.

This year in particular, the awards seek:

1. Increase the visibility of the importance of the agricultural sector and rural development in our societies
2. Consolidate innovative solutions to current challenges
3. Recognize projects that involve young people (up to 40 years old) in rural areas
4. Promote knowledge exchange and networking among rural groups by disseminating good practices

The RRN is the entity in charge of selecting the best projects submitted in each of the listed categories in Spain. To this end, its Regional Antennas will call on all rural entities in each of the territories in which they operate, who have until June 30, 2022, to submit their applications. The competition rules can be found in this document. link .

The awards ceremony is expected to take place in Brussels in early October 2022 .

2021 Edition

Last year, the European Rural Development Network selected two projects from the eight submitted by the National Rural Network, the entity responsible for finding Spanish representatives in Europe.

Specifically, in this third edition of the Rural Inspiration Awards (RIA) 2021, Spain was honored thanks to the "Local-Scale Circular Bioeconomy Pilot Project" by Josenea and the Public University of Navarra. The project was recognized in the " Resilient Future" category for its project that contributes to strengthening the resilience of rural areas.

Specifically, it is a circular economy company dedicated to biomass cultivation: it collects biowaste from its neighbors and transforms it into compost to fertilize its own crops, regenerating the soil and the climate.

Thus, the project contributes to the creation of green social jobs while also integrating research , as the Public University of Navarra is studying the composting process within experimental plots installed on the farm.