• The ADRA Local Action Group and the consulting firm dMillennial are working to implement a website that functions as a "Marketplace" (digital platform).
• The objective is to facilitate the digitalization of local commerce to establish a business network and population.

Often, commercial services and products in rural areas exist, as do customers willing to purchase or hire them, but a lack of information and communication channels prevents the two from making that effective connection. The result is often that residents and businesses are forced to leave those areas in search of more accessible areas.

To address this issue, the European dRural project was launched in 2021 with the aim of creating a digital service that would connect people in rural areas who demand a greater variety of services with professionals willing to provide them. Thus, thanks to the collaboration of the Local Action Group Association for the Development of La Rioja Alta ( GAL ADRA ) and the consulting firm dMillennial , La Rioja has become the second Spanish region—after Extremadura —to implement this initiative.

A platform to connect

The GAL has been working since March 2023 on adapting dRural to the 32 towns in the La Rioja Alta region that make up its area of operation. Its objective is to facilitate the digitalization of local commerce to establish a strong business network and population through a digital marketplace platform .

The platform/website will be active in the region starting in April 2024 and has a clear objective: "To enable a company or self-employed person working in rural areas to promote their business and allow citizens to approach these service providers. This also helps combat depopulation," GAL manager Alfonso Maestro told the PAC Network. "It allows people to access an orthopedic clinic, an electrician, a pharmacy, or a plumber, since they already know they exist in their area."

In this way, the business community is established in the region, and residents don't have to consider relocating thanks to this platform for purchasing goods and services.

The commercial and technical characteristics of the marketplace will be as follows:

• Simple and easy-to-use interface for any user
• Direct booking of products and services from the website
• Instant notification to the business
• Payment gateway included
• Interface and services adapted for starting or completing online sales
• A new sales channel to make products and services visible

dRural does not intend to remain alone in the scope of this GAL. According to Maestro, "the project's survival depends on expansion" to more rural areas. "This could be a great 'Amazon' where services needed in other areas can be obtained." In fact, both the GAL and dMillennial are already in the process of obtaining approval from the Government of La Rioja to extend the project to the entire autonomous community .

Partners and financing

The project was launched through the collaborative efforts of ADRA and dMillennial , and has the support of the EU government through the La Rioja Economic Development Agency ( ADER ). In addition, the AERTIC ICT cluster was responsible for presenting and configuring the project for approval.

The implementation of this project in La Rioja Alta has a budget of 120,000 euros, split 50/50 between the LAG and the rural consulting firm. Funding comes from a call for proposals from dRural, which receives funding from the European Union through the Horizon Europe program .