First Falf Of 2026: Strengthening Knowledge, Partnerships and Rural Impact

The first half of 2026 has been an active and productive period for the ELARD Knowledge Hub. Together with our partners, we continued to strengthen knowledge exchange and European cooperation through projects focusing on clean energy, community-led development, sustainable rural transitions, digital innovation, forest management and climate action.

Some EU-funded projects reached their final stage during the first half of the year. DigiMedFor and COM4LGD projects concluded after several years of collaboration, delivering practical tools, policy recommendations and knowledge resources for rural communities, policymakers and local stakeholders.

The Hub also continued its work in the ongoing EC4RURAL, RUSTIK and NEXRUR projects, supporting rural energy communities, community-led innovation and sustainable rural business models through European cooperation.

We also updated the Project Insights section of the website with new resources, practical tools, best practices and project insights from our European projects.

Throughout the first half of 2026, the ELARD Knowledge Hub contributed to project workshops, webinars, conferences and stakeholder events, helping disseminate knowledge, practical tools and policy recommendations to a wider audience. Final events for RUSTIK, COM4LGD and DigiMedFor, alongside thematic NEXRUR workshops and project webinars, showcased project achievements and fostered dialogue between researchers, practitioners, policymakers and rural stakeholders. The European Rural Geographies Conference also provided an opportunity to present the broader work of the ELARD Knowledge Hub and highlight its contribution to strengthening community-led rural development and European rural policy.

The LEADER Youth Community remained an active network, promoting youth participation in LEADER-CLLD through European events, networking activities and policy discussions. During the first half of the year, community members represented rural youth at the European Youth Week and the EU CAP Network Seminar on the Right to Stay for Young Farmers and Rural Youth, contributing to discussions on generational renewal and the future of rural areas.

During the first half of the year, we also invited new members to join the LEADER Youth Community Steering Committee. Young people from across Europe were encouraged to contribute to future activities, European projects and advocacy work, and to represent the voice of rural youth at the European level. We look forward to introducing the new Steering Committee members after the summer.

Several new European projects will be launched in the second half of 2026, creating new opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Stay tuned – we look forward to sharing more exciting news in the months ahead.

Thank you to all our project partners, members and collaborators for your continued cooperation and commitment.