The 12th OECD Rural Development Conference took place on 24-26 September 2019 in Seoul, Korea.

Under the them Delivering Rural Well-being, participants shared leading practices from across the world on how rural policies can support rural business to embrace new technologies and access global markets, deliver services and amenities in new ways, and mobilise rural assets (renewable energy, natural resources, land and know-how) to create jobs.

The conference took place over two days, followed by an optional field trip to nearby Wanju in Jeonbook Province to demonstrate local approaches to rural development and well-being.

Context

What makes a rural community a good place to live, work, run a business, start a family and grow old? It is a whole variety of factors ‑ from the quality and accessibility of services like schools and health care to natural resources and even social trust and community leadership. Recognising this, a number of OECD countries are now implementing a range of policies to deliver rural well-being—embracing a holistic lens on rural development.

 The Conference explored the critical drivers of rural well-being across three pillars:

Making the most of new and emerging technologies in rural areas, enhancing innovation and creating business and job opportunities

Addressing demographic challenges and ensuring that rural communities are attractive to both young and old alike

Enabling the transition of rural areas to a low carbon economy that creates jobs and opportunity

 

 Download the conference proceedings

 

The 12th OECD Rural Development Conference, hosted by Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, provided an engaging forum for governments, industry, experts and community organisations to identify how rural areas can address these key issues in order to contribute to national prosperity and well-being.

 

       ‌