Presentation delivered at the XXVIII European Society for Rural Sociolgy Congress, Trondheim 2019. WG 11 - Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of transformations and changes in rural areas. Abstract: Rural development in general, and particularly depopulation, are complex, multifaceted processes which call for an interdisciplinary approach. Nowadays, rural studies is an interdisciplinary and post-disciplinary field of study which encompasses a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues, as well as relevant public policy. Contributions from sociology, geography, anthropology, political science, ecology and more all have a place in this field (Shucksmith and Brown, 2016; Moyano 2009). It is necessary to tackle study in this area from an interdisciplinary perspective which integrates different factors and offers analysis frameworks capable of accounting for the complexity of events in rural areas when dealing with depopulation. Social innovation in rural areas is currently one of the most powerful paradigms for fostering rural development and confronting the challenges of depopulation. Despite being a controversial concept (Ayob, Teasdale y Fagan, 2009; Sinclair y Baglioni, 2014), it is widely used in political discourse, particularly in the context of the European Union (Sinclair y Baglioni, 2014). Social innovation has been put forward as the ideal solution to achieve positive social changes in societies experiencing societal challenges, becoming the predominant discursive framework of social development. The proposed paper explores social innovation initiatives from the perspective of the interdisciplinary involvement in them. The aim of the paper is to study social innovation initiatives in rural areas facing depopulation from the perspective of the diversity of types of knowledge involved in them. For this purpose, we develop a qualitative analysis of the diversity of topics and actors involved in the social innovation initiatives trying to face depopulation processes in marginalised rural areas in Europa that are recorded in the database of the European research project “Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas –SIMRA”. The results of this analysis allow us to help to identify some of the key elements involved in those experiences, linking them to inputs from different types of knowledge and discipline fields.

1. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Tackling
depopulation
through social
innovation: diversity
of topics and types
of expertise
Diana Valero (Perth College – UHI)
Lucía López Marco (IAMZ-CIHEAM)
Image: SIMRA website

2. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Overview
• Objective: To look at the diversity of knowledge and
expertise existing in social innovation addressing
depopulation in rural areas.
• Summary:
• Background and Framework
• Depopulation is a challenge for many rural areas
• Social Innovation as a tool to tackle it
• Interdisciplinarity and diversity of expertise
• Methods & Analysis
• Results
• Diversity of social innovation initiatives tackling depopulation
• Types of knowledge involved
• Final Remarks

3. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Background &
Framework
Image: Diana Valero

4. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Depopulation is a challenge for many
rural areas
• Decrease in the number of inhabitants
• Structural crisis
• Wicked dynamics. Interlinked demographic, social and economical
factors and accumulation of negative processes
• Out-migration (particularly young people and women) and demographic
unbalances between generations and sex : ageing and masculinisation.
• Poverty and deterioration of resources
• Local quality of life deteriorates
• Lower provision of services and infrastructures
• Unbalanced offer and demand
• Fall of expectances and incentives for investment
• Abandonment.
• Weakening social and cultural capital
• Less dynamism and innovation capacity. Weakening community resilience.
• Threat -> Need for action

5. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Social Innovation as a tool to tackle it
• Diversity of Strategies addressing depopulation
• Rural development approaches:
• Endogenous RD (CAP)
• Neoendogeneous RD (CAP, LEADER)
• Inclusive Development (Cohesion policies, grassroots justice movements)
• Smart shrinkage (Cohesion policies)
• The fit of Social innovation
• Oriented towards social development and improvement of the
quality of life
• Transformation of social systems
• Territorial process highly contextualised. Shape by the specific
context.
• Relevant in fragile territories
• Highlight on local participation – the own local community manages
the action vs the depopulation process

6. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Interdisciplinarity and diversity of
expertise
• Look into interdisciplinarity and diversity of expertise
• Various traditional fields of knowledge and expertise -> Need
for integration of multiple fields
• Importance of integration of different values, epistemologies
and knowledge to advance in the understanding of a wicked
problem.
• Need for interdisciplinarity and links between science and
society.
• Interdisciplinarity in social innovation:
• Promoted and configured by different types of knowledge (internal
and external to the community)
• Research field for interdisciplinary approaches
• Multidiscipline field
• Informed by inputs from varius fields (Sociology, Economy, Geography,
Urbanism, Political Science, etc.)

7. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Methods & Analysis
Image: SIMRA Database

8. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Source of Data: SIMRA
Database of SI
• 49 examples of social innovation included in the SIMRA database addressing
demographic challenges.
• 23% of total analytical examples
• 13% of total examples
Catalogue of Social Innovation examples in agriculture, forestry and rural
development in marginalised rural areas in Europe and the Mediterranean.
Content:
• Initiatives identified as social innovation in academic and technical sources,
and suggestions from researches, stakeholders and practitioners.
• 63% of examples have been submitted through the online questionnaire
• 211 examples (of 356) are considered analytical examples.
• Provide enough information to check that they met the 4 criteria identified as basic
requirements for being considered a social innovation in a marginalised rural area:
• Reconfiguration of social practices
• Active participation of civil society
• Territories / Groups previously disengaged
• To advance societal wellbeing in social, environmental or economic terms.
SIMRA Database of Social Innovation
Examples in Marginalised Rural Areas

9. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Social Innovation Initiatives analysed
Positive migration in
the Adriatic
Migrants integration
Montagne Model
Forest
Adotta un
Terrazzamento
Various forests and
community Trusts
Pro Val Lumnezia
Women’s Branch
Cooperative
Shepherds school
Sopotniki
Cooperative
Biopenyagolosa
Carbon smart
forestry
Abrottea
Cwmni Cletwr

10. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Analysis
• Type of knowledge – 2 dimensions analysed
• Type of origin / source of knowledge
• Scientific knowledge
• Explicit, organised in disciplines, general application
• Only when it is explicit in the description of the initiative or includes Universities,
Research Centres or Scientific Associations as key partners.
• Local knowledge (professional & non-professional)
• Explicit or tacit, produced through experience, local scale,
• Professional: Specific basis of particular disciplinary methods and tools and developed
through practice and peer exchange.
• Non professional: Based on experience, tradition and common sense. Strongly
contextualised.
• Scientific field
• UNESCO classification ISCED-F 2013
• Strategies of rural development
• Endogenous -> Maximize local resources only from local resources
• Neoendogenous -> Maximize local resources + network of local and
external actors
• Smart shrinkage -> Adaptation of resources
• Inclusiveness -> Maximize participation and social integration

11. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Results
Image: SIMRA website

12. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Diversity of social innovation
initiatives tackling depopulation
• Topics:
• Conservation of villages and landscapes: (“Recartografias”, España;
“Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří”, República Checa y Alemania; “Addotta un terrazzamento”,
Italia; “Restauración de huertos frutales” en Bosacka” y “Revitalización de
Vlkolinec”, Eslovaquia),
• Forest management: (“Carbon Smart forestry”, Eslovaquia; “Montagne Fiorentine
Model Forest” y “Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme “, Italia; “Lochcarron Community
Development Company”, “Community woodland Llais y Goedwig”, “Abriachan
forest trust” y “Laggan Forest trust”, Reino Unido)
• Local development: general (“Pro Val Lumnezia”, Suiza; “Empenta Artieda”, España;
“Abrottea”, Portugal; “Artel 13”, Bulgaria; “Network Duurzam Dorpen”, Países Bajos)
• Integration of migrants (“Migración positiva en el Adriático”, Croacia; “Integración
de inmigrantes Joutsenten Reitti”, Finlandia; “Citaa’ Futura”, Italia; y “Bread in
Berglagen”, Suecia).
• Entrepreneurship (“Baba Residence”, Bulgaria; “Fenomena”, Serbia),
• Arts and craft (“Pueblos en Arte”, España; “Time Heroes”, Bulgaria
• Access to land (“NEL”, Austria),
• Support young people (“Kamenica”, Montenegro),
• Education (“Study Circles”, Eslovenia),
• Pastoralism (“Escola de pastors”, España)

13. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Diversity of social inovation initiatives
tackling depopulation
• Various approaches:
• To slow down or reverse depopulation as direct goal
(“Empenta Artieda”, Spain; “Women’s branch of Vakifli
cooperative”, Turkey)
• To slow down depopulation as a long term goal (“Youth for
everybody in the community, Montenegro”)
• Stop out-migration as an effect (“Eco village Cadar”,
Slovenia; “Pro Val Lummenzia”, Switzerland)
• Revalorisation of local heritage as general strategy to tackle
depopulation (“Brotas”, Portugal)

14. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Diversity of fields of knowledge involved
• Inputs from various type of knowledge are involved in
each initiative
• 23 detailed fields identified in total in:
* Transport services

15. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Direct scientific inputs in 1/5 initiatives
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Scientific
Professional
Non-professional
Types of Knowledge

16. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
No direct scientific inputs in ICTs, Forestry
and Transport Services
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Architecture
Welfare
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Business and administration
Agriculture
Arts
Environment
Law
Education
Manufacturing and processing

17. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Lack of direct scientific inputs in
neoendogenous initiatives
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Endogenous Development
Neoendogenous Development
Inclusive Development
Smart Shrinkage
Non-professional Professional Scientific

18. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
Scientific inputs from different fields
contribute to different strategies
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Education
Arts
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Business and Administration
Law
Environment
ICTs
Manufacturing and Processing
Architecture
Agriculture
Forestry
Welfare
Services
Transport
Fields of knowledge in the social innovations according to development strategies
Smart Shrinkage Neoendogenous Development Endogenous Development Inclusive Development

19. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Desarrollo
Inclusivo
Decrecimiento
Inteligente
Endogenous
Development
Neoendogenous
Development
Architecture and
construction
Education
Transport ICT Social and
Behavioural Sciences
Personal services
Arts
Law
Environment
Welfare
Agriculture
Manufacturing
and
Processing
Inclusive
Development
Smart Shrinkage
Business and administration
Forestry
Inputs from different fields contribute to
different strategies

20. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Endogenous
Development
Architecture and
construction
Education
Social and
Behavioural Sciences
Environment
Agriculture
Manufacturing and processing
Inclusive
Development
Smart Shrinkage
Arts
Law
Welfare
Business and administration
The direct scientific inputs come from
less fields and within less strategies

21. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Desarrollo
Inclusivo
Decrecimiento
Inteligente
Endogenous
Development
Neoendogenous
Development
Education Transport ICT Social and
Behavioural Sciences
Personal services
Arts
Law
Welfare
Agriculture
Manufacturing and
Processing
Inclusive
Development
Smart Shrinkage
Forestry
Business and administration
There is scope for more disciplines to
contribute to tackling depopulation

22. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Final Remarks

23. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
There is interdisciplinarity, but it is
necessary to integrate more fields
• There is interdisciplinarity in social innovation tackling
depopulation.
• Interdisciplinarity in the integration of scientific
knowledge.
• There is a wide scope for integration of more
disciplines (e.g. forestry, ICT, transport, personal
services) in tackling depopulation from different
approaches.
• Need to integrate different knowledge to avoid partial
framing of depopulation and find new initiatives.

24. This project has received funding from the
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme under Grant
Agreement No 677622
WG 11 Social Innovation and social farming as drivers of
transformations and changes in rural areas
Tackling depopulation through
social innovation: diversity of
topics and types of expertise
Valero, D.E. & López Marco, L. (2019). “Interdisciplinarity in social innovation
in the face of rural depopulation”. Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales
19(1), 17-37. doi: https://doi.org/10.7201/ earn.2019.01.02.
Diana Valero
diana.valero.perth@uhi.ac.uk
@lachicadeldyane