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10th OECD Rural Development Conference
“National Prosperity through Modern Rural Policy”
Competitiveness and well-being in rural regions
19-21st May 2015, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Optional field visits: 21-23 May 2015
Email: [email protected]
Day 1
Tuesday 19 May 2015
9:00-17:00
Pre-conference forum: Rural Exhibitor Show
The Native American exhibit will, through photographs and everyday objects provide an overview of USDA’s work
with the tribal community.
This will be complemented by 20-25 exhibitors from Canada, Mexico, and the United States showcasing initiatives
that illustrate:
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Partnership between urban and rural places
Efforts to improve access to services in rural areas (healthcare, social services, broadband etc.)
Innovative projects leading to economic opportunities in rural areas (renewable energy, local foods,
tourism etc.)
Lunch
Afternoon
Pre-conference workshops
Parallel sessions: Mobilising assets in rural areas
Natural resources and rural
development
Food security - what role
for rural policy?
Roundtable by network of regions
with natural resource assets.
Discussions on challenges and
opportunities for development and
quality of life.
Roundtable discussion on food and
nutrition security from a regional
perspective. How an integrated
vision can fight the war against
hunger and extreme poverty.
Engaging with traditional settlements,
native communities, and socially
disadvantaged groups
Roundtable discussion about
service delivery to indigenous and
social disadvantaged communities.
Coffee break
Parallel sessions: Promoting evidence based rural policies
Telling the rural story: using data
to inform policy
Rural policies in Latin America
Roundtable discussion about the
importance of data in shaping the
view of rural areas. How data helps
inform policy.
Roundtable discussing challenges,
opportunities and different policy
approaches to rural development in
Latin American countries.
Opening reception at the Civil Rights Museum
Poverty and Mobility: The Rural American Experience
Land use in rural regions
Roundtable discussing land use
policies, housing and linkages
between rural and urban regions.
Day 2
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Morning
Welcome & registration
Opening session
o United States
o Mexico
o Canada
o OECD
Coffee break
Plenary session: Improving the quality of life in rural areas: an integrated approach
Finding the right balance between three main pillars for an integrated approach to rural policy: the economic,
social and environmental dimensions.
Lunch
PARALLEL SESSIONS
Pillar 1 – The economic dimension
Afternoon
Creating jobs and economic opportunities
Quality jobs, entrepreneurship, clusters of SME’s
Localisation of manufacturing activities (tradable
goods) in rural areas and urban hinterland.
Linking rural and urban places
Multilevel governance of urban and rural regions
Rural attractiveness, accessibility and connectivity with
urban regions.
Coffee break
Pillar 2 –The social dimension
Increasing citizen engagement and trust
Improving access to services
Rural areas as a source of trust and social capital
Participation and institutional mechanisms for rural
dwellers.
Day 3
Inclusive growth by focusing on service delivery
challenges. Addressing challenges of senior citizens.
Thursday 21 May 2015
Pillar 3 – The environmental dimension
Morning
Climate change: building resilience in rural areas
Climate change adaptation and rural development.
Rural policies to improve resilience.
Coffee break
Connecting the bio-economy to rural policy
Bio-economy: the contribution of rural community to
climate change mitigation.
Dialogue on Modern Rural Policy:
an integrated approach
An interactive roundtable debate among panellists from the three pillars and the participants
Recap and way forward
Taking the modern approach to rural policy identifying ways to move forward.
13:00-13:30
Departure field trips
Each field visit will provide the opportunity to engage with local actors, representatives of municipal bodies and
local firms, tour projects and interact with the project developers.
o Field trip 1: The Innovative South
o Field trip 2: Tourism the Delta Way
o Field trip 3: The Music of the Mighty Mississippi
o Field trip 4: Science, Sipping, and Song