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This issue of the EU Rural Review explores some of the latest thinking and practice in how rural entrepreneurship can be supported to take advantage of emerging opportunities and latent potential in order to develop new forms of successful rural business.

Without seeking to ignore the many challenges facing Europe’s rural areas, the issue overviews new opportunities emerging from sectors ranging from the biotechnology to the experience economy and from possibilities created by new information technologies to changing consumer demand.

Finally, it examines how the Rural Development Programmes can be deployed strategically to take advantage of these opportunities, finding smarter ways to deliver effective business support and making targeted efforts to overcome some of the specifically rural challenges.

This issue focuses on opportunities for “improving competitiveness of primary producers by better integrating them into the agri-food chain” – one of the Focus Areas of EU Rural Development policy.

The publication provides an overview of the various means for adding value in food and drink supply chains. It goes on to explore major market opportunities for rural producers in terms of: increasing the rural market; improving access to urban markets; and accessing the market for public food.

The publication stresses the importance of targeted strategies for supporting smarter supply chains using effective links with research and the Rural Development Programmes (RDPs).

The United Nations has declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming, the primary aim of which is to promote, develop and strengthen all types of family-oriented agriculture as a socially valuable, economically viable and environmentally sustainable model.

Innovation is at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Today, European farmers are faced with the dual challenges of having not only to produce more, but also to do so in a sustainable manner. The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) sees innovation as a key driver of sustainable agriculture and rural development.

How Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) are contributing to the promotion of local food production and short supply chains.

A closer look at how EU agriculture and rural development policy help promote rural entrepreneurship.

Quality and organic products are a key part of the Common Agricultural Policy and an important objective of Rural Development policy.

Supporting EU agriculture, forestry and agri-food industries, combining competitiveness and multi-functionality.

Rural people’s dedication to the on-going development of diversity in Europe’s countryside forms the main focus of this issue of the EU Rural Review.