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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).

This issue highlights the relevance of EU Rural Development policy to wider societal challenges and the practical opportunities to deliver the greatest positive impact on the ground. It focuses on responses to the challenges of limited rural broadband internet access, global climate change and the current refugee crisis. It goes on to explore some of the new and developing EU policy tools: multi-funded CLLD; the European Fund for Strategic Investments; and the RDP Cooperation Measure.