Damian Gornik (Communications Officer, Centre for Applied Bioscience Research (CABR)) recently participated in a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) as part of the SMART-RURAL COST Action (CA24170).
As a member of...
This SMART-RURAL STSM at UiT The Arctic University of Norway explored how digital coordination in rural logistics can reshape not only efficiency and access, but also power and dependence between actors. Through a systematic evidence review and conceptual analysis of 80 publications, the mission examined who controls critical access points such as platforms, payment systems, data interfaces and allocation mechanisms, and whether affected actors have realistic alternatives or safeguards. The findings highlight that resilient rural digitalisation depends not only on improved performance, but also on usable alternatives, appropriate infrastructure, transparent rules and enforceable governance protections.
This SMART-RURAL STSM in Moldova and Romania explored rural resilience from a Near Neighbour Country perspective, examining technology adoption and existing resilience assessment frameworks. The work highlighted key gaps around institutional integration, traditional knowledge, multi-level assessment and the realities of post-socialist rural contexts, helping shape the development of more context-sensitive resilience indicators for SMART-RURAL.