Welcome to SIMRA's 7th newsletter! - Special Edition on Innovation Actions -
SIMRA (Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas) is a four-year project (2016-2020) funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme. It aims to advance understanding of social innovation and innovative governance in agriculture, forestry and rural development – and how to boost them – in marginalised rural areas across Europe and around the Mediterranean, including non-EU countries.
One of the main objectives of the SIMRA project is to create collaboration and learning opportunities where local stakeholders (communities, researchers, businesses) can work together towards the implementation of social innovations, which could leave a lasting legacy in the area where they are taking place. SIMRA calls these project-supported initiatives "Innovation Actions". Find out more about the methodology and our pilots in this special newsletter.
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SIMRA defined an “Innovation Action” as “a demonstration or set of pilot activities aiming to explore the technical feasibility of the new or improved knowledge on Social Innovations -in terms of processes, related technology, products or services- in a near to operational environment within Marginalized Rural Areas”.
In practice, Innovation Actions aim at creating collaborative learning and networking opportunities at multiple scales, with continuous interactions among researchers, ‘knowledge brokers’ and rural stakeholders to foster and mainstream social innovation, thus leaving a durable legacy.
The difference between Case Studies and Innovation Actions in SIMRA mainly lies in the degree of involvement of project partners. In the Case Studies, we collect and analyse empirical evidence of achieved social innovations. Whereas, in the Innovation Actions, we act as observers, facilitators and analysts of new or on-going social innovations.
By implementing Innovation Actions, we aim to test and exploit the potential of rural stakeholders. The aim is to realise impacts in the territory and the market, in developing businesses, investments opportunities and building capacity in local communities and governments. Similar types of actions include Living Labs and Action Research for instance.
The Innovation Action in Gúdar-Javalambre (Teruel, Spain) is focused on fostering the development of a land banking initiative. Its aim is to reverse the abandonment of agricultural and forestry parcels with a specific emphasis on wildfire prevention and revival of traditional varieties.
Assisting socially disadvantaged women in developing successful business initiatives
The Innovation Action in Lancashire and Cumbria (UK) is a not for profit organisation, which provides an alternative model for business training and coaching for women entrepreneurs. These women have been overlooked or ignored by business support services because they run their business from home to fit around their personal circumstances.
This Innovation Action is an activity that aims at transforming traditional home-made food recipes into standardized and scientifically monitored products of jams, pickles, dried fruits, vegetables preserved in oil, sweets and delicacies. The activity supports local women in Deir el Ahmar village (Bekaa Region, Lebanon) in developing profitable businesses, whilst also creating a positive cycle of development and creating successful partnerships with community members.
Supporting the socio-entrepreneurial potential of local young people
The Innovation Action in Italy aims to support the sustainable socio-entrepreneurial potential of local young people in Val Belluna (Province of Belluno, in North-eastern Italy). Activities such as sustainable organic agriculture or short value chains, community tourism and social inclusion provide the basis for developing territorial and multi-sectoral opportunities which focus on capitalising upon human capabilities and relationships.
The Norwegian Trekking Association’s role in integrating immigrants in rural areas
The Innovation Action in Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, focuses on integrating immigrants, mainly refugees or work migrants, into the rural area by social nudging mechanisms. These are to motivate immigrants to join locals in walking, rambling, trekking or hiking, enabling the establishment of social networks, learning and teaching the customs and culture of rural areas and environments.
Integrated Ecosystemic Value-enhancement of the Guadeloupe Forest Agrobiodiversity
The Innovation Action aims to support the development of a shared vision amongst the social innovation actors of the integrated ecosystemic value-enhancement of the agrobiodiversity of the private forests in Guadeloupe. The local actors aims to: i) assess the feasibility of small-scale farming systems which respect of the ecological integrity of the forest; ii) maximise the ecosystem services of the forests; iii) preserve the common good represented by the ecological functionalities of the forest; iv) and to reconsider their role in relation to human-nature interactions and as custodians of the forests.
Forest management as a key for integration and job creation
The Innovation Action in the Solsonès county (Lleida, Spain) aims at creating the foundations for a pilot project about forests, social networks and human health. At the core of the project is a collaborative effort with local primary healthcare providers to incorporate forests into holistic recovery and treatment plans, potentially enabling them to supplement pharmaceutical treatments with outdoor activities.
If you are interested in knowing more, please note each Innovation Action will organise a local workshop in September 2019! Don't hesitate to contact us for more information.
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