“Oltrepò BioDiverso” Project: Rural Network Development Supporting Local Apennine Economy

The European Union, for many years, has been working to resolve disproportion between urban and rural areas, through policy interventions based on socio-economic and territorial conditions. EU policies objectives can be achieved by prospect and identification of new paradigms lead to pose at the scientific level, new and agricultural practices and a different relationship with the territory, local natural resources and operators. The concept of rural development has been enriched over time. In recent years, a new concept of rationalization has emerged, incorporating new rural innovation tools and practices of co-planning and co-innovation, which become a system in the vertical and horizontal rural network. The “Oltrepò BioDiverso. La natura che accoglie” project is a case study developed in Oltrepò Pavese, rural area in the Northern Italian Apennines, which involves the creation of a multidisciplinary and multisectoral rural network, including the creation of an Open Innovation Centre. This project, funded by the Cariplo Foundation, has been composed of 25 actions, bringing together a multidisciplinary partnership of 19 non-profit organizations operating in the territory of 17 municipalities of Oltrepò Pavese. The main purpose of this study is to implement the local environmental biodiversity, transfer of knowledge and support the development of innovative agricultural, productive and research activities, to combat depopulation, isolation and stagnation of production of these marginal internal areas.