Europe

Information from the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) workshop on social inclusion is now available online.

The 'Social Hubs in Rural Europe' event took place in Brussels on 9 February 2017. 

At the workshop, people from across Europe discussed ways to respond to demographic change and promote the social inclusion of migrants and refugees, Roma, youth and women in rural areas, including through arts and culture.

Ruth MacDonald from the Scottish Rural Network Support Unit reports from the Agri-Innovation Conference held in York on 31 January 2017.

From new ideas to tackle feather pecking in hens to improving the carcase traits of Swaledale sheep, this event provided plenty of inspiration for people looking to try something new in the agricultural sector. 

At a farm visit organised as part of an Agri-Innovation Conference in York, visitors learnt about how a group of farmers in York revolutionised their businesses.

A recent event in Brussels brought together young farmers and representatives of National Rural Networks from across Europe.

The workshop on 'Generational Renewal through Rural Development' took place on 25 January 2017 and was organised jointly by the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) and CEJA - the European Council for Young Farmers.

The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) has produced a publication about migrant and refugee integration projects across Europe.

The 'Boosting businesses along the fisheries supply chain' event took place in Thessaloniki, Greece from 18-20 October 2016.

Mike Strachan from Forestry Commission Scotland reports on the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) workshop on 'New value chains from multi-functional forests held in Vienna on 10 and 11 November 2016.

The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) aims to bridge the gap between Research and Practice in Agriculture, Food and Forestry across Europe.  I was fortunate to be invited to attend the workshop in Vienna where I helped to lead discussions on the role of Agroforestry in supporting value chains. Eighty participants from 21 countries attended.

A small Scottish hostel has made it to the finals of a biennial European Commission Award designed to recognise businesses at the forefront of eco-innovation.

The European Business Award for the Environment supports the growing number of enterprises that put protecting the environment at the very heart of their work.

Irish farmer Margaret Farrelly has won the 2016 Copa Cogeca’s European innovation prize for women farmers.

Margaret Farrelly started out with 150 hens selling to a local packer. Today she has over 160,000 hens and an annual turnover of €6.2 million. Her company employs 33 people and she works with 22 other Irish farmers to deliver free-range Irish eggs and liquid eggs.