The Interreg Sudoe European project RuralSilverHubS identifies key actors to boost the Silver Economy, social innovation and rural repopulation in Spain, France and Portugal.
Valencia, 3rd february.
The European project RuralSilverHubS, co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe Programme through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is progressing in its initial phase with the implementation of a comprehensive stakeholder mapping across the participating territories. This task is essential to understand the real needs of each region, strengthen local cooperation and design innovative solutions that address the challenges of ageing, rural depopulation and limited access to essential services.
RuralSilverHubS receives ERDF support amounting to €948,272.81, with a total project cost of €1,264,363.75. These resources enable the deployment of transnational actions in Spain, France and Portugal to strengthen the Silver Economy and foster more inclusive and resilient rural territories.
The mapping process will identify the most relevant actors in the rural and Silver Economy ecosystem, including public authorities, social organisations, local businesses, universities, associations of older adults, economic agents and active citizens. The objective is to build a solid network that fosters co-creation and territorial participation from the earliest stages of the project.
In addition to desk research and technical analysis, the consortium will hold both in-person and online meetings in each pilot territory. These sessions will help validate collected information, listen directly to local communities and enhance the active involvement of key stakeholders in the rural transformation process.
“Stakeholder mapping allows us to listen to the territory from the very beginning. RuralSilverHubS is built on active listening and collaboration between local actors, because only then can we create solutions that respond to a new rural paradigm: from depopulation to repopulation, and from ageing to active longevity,” the project team highlighted.
The stakeholder mapping will be a crucial tool for the next steps of the project, particularly for the implementation of RS-LABS (Social and Digital Innovation Laboratories in depopulated rural areas) and for the development of the Rural Silver Economy Observatory (RSE), which will measure the impact of the Silver Economy and support evidence-based policy making.
A roadmap for more sustainable rural territories
This analysis will help identify barriers, opportunities and levers for change in each territory, ensuring that RuralSilverHubS contributes to:
- Improving the quality of life of people aged 55+,
- Boosting social innovation in rural areas,
- Stimulating local entrepreneurship,
- Attracting and retaining talent,
- Strengthening social cohesion and demographic balance.
 About RuralSilverHubS
RuralSilverHubS brings together nine beneficiaries from Spain, France and Portugal, led by the Provincial Council of Tarragona. The project runs for 30 months (2025–2027) and develops innovative solutions to address longevity, depopulation and sustainability challenges in rural areas across the Sudoe region.