What’s happening in my country
Portugal
This page contains specific information about the planning and implementation of smart villages in Portugal. The information aims to orient people on policy planning, key contacts and resources on smart villages. However, it neither aims to be fully comprehensive, nor necessarily reflects the official government or European Commission position.
Explore how smart villages are being implemented in Portugal.
Key CAP contact(s) :
Support for Smart Villages under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CAP SP) programming process:
- Governance: under the coordination of the Office for Planning, Policies and General Administration (GPP), and in close collaboration with the CAP Monitoring and Review Council (Panel of Experts in the CAP areas of intervention), and the Commission of Representatives of the most relevant agricultural organisations, aiming to contribute to the identification of the main challenges and the definition of national policy options.
- Method: dynamic process that is being developed in stages, in line with the procedures of extended consultation foreseen in the proposed CAP Regulation, so that all stakeholders (economic and social partners, as well as entities representing civil society, including NGOs) can contribute to the definition of the future CAP. The CAP SP will also be adjusted according to the agreement of regulatory negotiation.
The stakeholder consultation process took place between 16 November 2020 and 8 January 2021, and covered the documents relating to the first four phases of the planning process: diagnoses by specific and for cross-cutting objectives, SWOT analysis, and intervention logic.
Portugal intended to present the first version of CAP SP at the beginning of the second semester of 2021, however, the first version put out for public consultation (architecture proposal) was considered to have several important aspects requiring thorough review and further consultations. In this context, a participatory democracy initiative emerged on agricultural policy and the CAP SP, aiming not only to promote information sharing, but also a dialogue with the government and the entities with responsibility in the elaboration of the Plan.
Given these constraints, the Minister of Agriculture postponed the presentation of the first version of the CAP SP (scheduled for July) to September and the delivery of the final version to the European Commission until the end of the year, foreseeing that, it may be presented to its recipients, in the beginning of 2022 once that all eventual open issues are solved.
Nonetheless, CAP SP full implementation is expected from January 2023. Until then, the transitional arrangements will apply.
It is still unknown whether the Smart Villages approach will be supported under the CAP SP. It should be noted, however, that the document placed for public consultation has no reference to Smart Villages.
Further information on CAP & smart villages :
Key NRN contact(s) :
Activities of the National Rural Network (NRN) on smart villages
The National Rural Network (NRN) – while recognising the growing importance that the Smart Villages approach – has not yet had a direct and active involvement on this subject. The NRN has followed closely the work carried out by the European Network for Rural Development (ENRD), sharing all the information on the Smart Villages Thematic Group through NRN website and updated documentation produced at the level of the European Commission.
The NRN has collaborated with the Smart Rural 21 project for instance promoted the initial call for villages through NRN institutional / official media (internet website, Twitter, …).
In this regard, it should be noted that the Activity Plan for 2021 of the General Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development (that coordinates the NRN) contemplates an objective on the dissemination of the “Smart Village methodology in the territories”, comprising activities such as the creation of a Working Group on the implementation of the Smart Villages approach.
Recently, the NRN supported the preparation of the proposal for the development of a pilot project in the scope of the Innovation Agenda for Agriculture with a view to drawing up and implementing a smart village strategy in a rural community.
Support provided through other national/ regional policies & initiatives
Innovation Agenda for Agriculture 2020-2030
The Innovation Agenda for Agriculture 2020-2030 was designed considering the guidelines and commitments of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the European Green Deal and, particularly, the Farm to Fork Strategy, recognising the vital importance of agriculture as a driving force for rural territories. The Agenda calls for a more inclusive and integrated action model to promote modern, competitive and market-oriented agriculture, which contributes to economic growth, employment and trade balance as far as agriculture and agrifood concerns; a safe and healthy diet; sustainable use of natural resources; responses to climate challenges; and social and territorial cohesion.
To this end, it defined 15 Emblematic Initiatives and 71 Lines of Action, to implement by 2030. Among these, the Emblematic Initiative 7. (Revitalisation of rural areas) stands out, in which Line of ‘Action 7.5.: Smart rural territories’ provides the possible framework for supporting activities within the scope of the Smart Villages approach.
The Government plans to use 93 million euros from the Recovery and Resilience Plan to promote 100 research and innovation programmes and projects and five structuring projects focused on the 15 flagship initiatives endorsed by the Innovation Agenda for Agriculture 2020-2030. In this context, there was a proposal to the Ministry of Agriculture for the support of a pilot project with a view to develop and implement the SV approach in a community with a markedly rural character and whose agricultural activity is of great meaning.
The Regional Operational Programmes and respective Smart Specialisation Strategies could assume valuable role in fostering the Smart Villages approach towards competitive, sustainable and inclusive rural territories. However, so far, is not yet known, whether the SV approach will be integrated in the set of interventions to be supported. From the analysis of the publicly available strategic documents to date (still limited information, June 2021), no support for the Smart Villages approach is foreseen.
Key organisations & contacts
Mission: formulate, conduct and evaluate economic and social development strategies, taking into account the objectives of convergence and cohesion.
Public entity responsible for the coordination of European Structural and Investment Funds in Portugal.
Further key resources
E40 ( 05/2024 )
Following discussions elaborated on the thematic areas of interventions that could benefit more from Smart Villages approach a Territorial Smart Villages Agenda for the Pinhal Interior regional was developed to serve as a basis of planning of future interventions.
Language : Portugese
Magda Porta ( 28/06/2023 )
Comprehensive document outlines a proposal for integrating the Smart Villages concept into Local Development Strategies within the context of sustainable rural development, emphasizing participatory approaches and leveraging existing local potential and opportunities.
Language : Portugese
Magda Porta ( 28/06/2023 )
Presentation on the Smart Village concept and potential implementation approaches was delivered during a weekly LAGs network meeting organized as part of the taskforce activities in Portugal.
Language : Portugese
Magda Porta ( 28/06/2023 )
Summary report on the meeting with the Federation Minha Terra and Portuguese LAGs organized within the taskforce activities in Portugal. The objective of the meeting was to discuss the possible integration of support for Smart Village strategies within the Local Development Strategies of the PT Local Action Groups LEADER/CLLD.
Language : English
Magda Porta ( 18/03/2024 )
Poster summary and presentation on taskforce activities in Portugal . The presentation on the poster was given at the Smart Rural 27 project’s Final Conference of 18-19 March 2024, in Brussels, Belgium.
Language : English
( 02/2023 )
Strategic document outlining the actions, tasks, and initiatives to be undertaken by the Taskforce in Portugal. The Taskforce targets a specific Integrated Territorial-based Intervention – The Programme for the Revitalisation of Pinhal Interior (PRPI). The Taskforce have for purpose to build awareness, promote, support, and enable the introduction of the Smart Villages concept and approach in the design and implementation of the Transforming project P09. Villages. by designing a conceptual framework that includes the Smart Villages concept and approach in the Transforming project. With the results of the Taskforce in this specific territorial context it is expected that the work carried out can be expanded to the regional and national levels.
Language : English
Marcos Nogueira - AURORAL H2020 Project ( 18/10/2022 )
A presentation on the AURORAL Horizon 2020 project, given in the workshop “When is digital technology becoming a ‘game-changer’ in improving local services?” at the Smart Rural 21 project’s Final Conference of 17-18 October 2022 in Sopot, Poland.
Language : English
Lutz Kubitschke - empirica ( 17/10/2022 )
A presentation on lessons learned from the Smart Rural 21 expert support provided to three of the project’s villages: Dingle (Ireland); Penela (Portugal); and Sollstedt (Germany). The presentation was given in the workshop “When is digital technology becoming a ‘game-changer’ in improving local services?” at the Smart Rural 21 project’s Final Conference of 17-18 October 2022 in Sopot, Poland.
Language : English
( 09/07/2018 )
A video with Portugese subtitles produced by the ENRD Contact Point summarising what a ‘smart village’ represents from different perspectives.
Language : English, Portugese
European Network for Rural Development Contact Point (ENRD CP) ( 2018 )
The example of Sabugueiro highlighted as a good practice in the EAFRD Projects Brochure on ‘Digital and Social Innovation in Rural Services’(page 25), produced by the European Network for Rural Development Contact Point.
Language : English
City Council of Seia, Vodafone Foundation ( 2013 – 2016 )
Pilot project involving the installation of fiber-optic and technological solutions with the objective of contributing to the improvement of the rural community’s quality of life, namely, acting as a catalyst to increase the area’s environmental and economic performance. The project was implemented in Sabugueiro, located at Serra da Estrela, the highest village of Portugal (1 150 meters of altitude), with only about 480 inhabitants (10,3 inhabitants/km²) and includesthe Mountain Villages Network. The project showcased Sabugueiro as a model by the implementation of functional and utilitarian technologies in areas as diverse as:
- energy efficiency in buildings and households, and in public lighting;
- transportation/mobility;
- health;
- water and waste management.
Language : English
Direção Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural (Directorate-General for Agricultureand Rural Development)
The Portuguese Rural Network collects information on the Smart Villages Thematic Group and updated documentation produced at the level of the European Commission.
Language : Portugese
Gabinete de Planeamento, Políticas e Administração Geral (Planning, Policy and General Administration Office) ( 2020 – Ongoing )
A summary document of the Innovation Agenda for Agriculture 2020-2030. The Agenda is designed on the basis ofthe guidelines and commitments of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the EU’ Green Deal and, particularly, the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, recognising the vital importance of agriculture as a driving force for rural territories.
Language : Portugese
Gabinete de Planeamento, Políticas e Administração Geral (Planning, Policy and General Administration Office) ( 2020 – Ongoing )
The agenda was designed on the basis ofthe guidelines and commitments of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the EU’ Green Deal and, particularly, the Farm-to-Fork Strategy, recognising the vital importance of agriculture as a driving force for rural territories. It defines 15 Emblematic Initiatives and 71 Lines of Action to be implemented by 2030. Among these, the Emblematic Initiative 7‘Revitalisation of rural areas’ stands out, within which line of ‘Action 7.5: Smart rural territories’ provides apossible framework for supporting activities within the scope of the Smart Villages approach.
Language : Portugese
Municipality of Penela ( 30/03/2021 )
During the 4th Smart Rural Communities’ Café, hosted by Penela (Portugal), Luís Matias was talking about how IoT technologies in goat-farming have contributed to leveraging territorial marketing and development as well as about their plans on how to develop the right methods and facilities for a healthy ageing of elderly people in one of their small villages.
Language : English
Municipality of Penela ( 12/2020 )
The Smart Village Strategy of Penela – Ferraria De São João has been developed in the context of the ‘Preparatory Action for Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century’ project funded by the European Commission.
Language : English
Municipality of Penela ( 12/2020 )
The Smart Village Strategy of Penela – Cumeeira has been developed in the context of the ‘Preparatory Action for Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century’ project funded by the European Commission.
Language : English
Municipality of Penela ( 12/2020 )
The Summary Highlights of the Smart Village Strategy of Penela – Ferraria De São João has been developed in the context of the ‘Preparatory Action for Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century’ project funded by the European Commission.
Language : English
Municipality of Penela ( 12/2020 )
The Summary Highlights of the Smart Village Strategy of Penela – Cumeeira has been developed in the context of the ‘Preparatory Action for Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century’ project funded by the European Commission.
Language : English
