• The National Rural Network (RRN) has organized a workshop on youth entrepreneurship in rural areas focused on local businesses.
• Quality, innovation and digitalization are the 3 challenges that local merchants face to distinguish themselves.

For this reason, the RRN organized the conference " Youth Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas on the Theme of Local Businesses," which featured experiences from the autonomous communities of Castilla-La Mancha, Aragón, and Castilla y León and brought together 145 participants.

The main objective of the event was to learn about business projects and best practices promoted by young people in the local business sector in rural areas. These experiences will serve as inspiration and connect other young entrepreneurs from different autonomous communities.

Exchange of experiences

"A business in a small town is life in the long run." "Being an entrepreneur is a way of life that is deeply engaging and improves the lives of those around you." These were the words expressed by the participants in the two roundtable discussions that structured the day, each featuring a guest expert, alongside the young entrepreneurs.

José Barrios, a technician from the Association for the Development of Campo de Calatrava (Almagro, Ciudad Real), participated in the discussion panel on service businesses . Barrios spoke with the following young entrepreneurs:

• Irene Yera, owner of her physiotherapy center in Tauste, (Zaragoza, Aragon).
• Victoria Tortosa, from La Exclusiva , dedicated to social logistics in Soria (Castilla y León).
• Vanesa Contreras, founder of Va de Viajes in Almagro (Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha).

Participating in the roundtable on trade was a guest expert: Pablo Rengifo from Rural Talent , a rural consultancy firm based in several autonomous communities. He was joined by:

• Paula Fernández, from Quesos Abuelo Aitalas , dedicated to the production of artisanal cheeses in Sahechores, (León, Castilla y León).
• Cristina Prieto from El Trasmozero , a gluten-free bakery in Trasmoz (Zaragoza, Aragon).
• Rocío Sánchez, manager of Trapitos de colores , a clothing store in La Guardia (Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha).

The event will soon be broadcast on the RRN's YouTube channel. All the event material will also be posted on the event's website .

Rural youth

The NRN is focusing its Action Plan these months on the topic of youth , through a series of activities designed to respond to the needs identified through a survey and a meeting of the thematic group of experts specifically established for this purpose.

The main need identified is to ensure the employability of youth in rural areas.

In this context, this was the third in a five-day series on rural entrepreneurship by sector organized by the RRN, specifically aimed at young people. This series has a territorial focus and will cover different economic sectors, each with special relevance in certain regions but of interest to rural areas across the country.

Thus, the next scheduled sessions will focus on the following topics: small industries (November 17) and organic production (November 24).