NWO awards grant to major research into the relationship between rural areas and cities

The relation between rural areas and cities have been under pressure in recent years and require future-proof spatial solutions. This is why the Fertile Soils project, in which 10 knowledge institutes and 30 practical partners work together, investigates how rural areas and cities can work together on major challenges such as agricultural transition, housing construction and climate-proof water management. NWO is granting 5.5 million euros for 5 years of research.

Although climate change, biodiversity decline and demographic changes affect both urban and rural areas, governments have invested mainly in urban areas in recent decades. This calls for a reappraisal of rural areas. Fertile Soils therefore focuses on questions such as: What integrated approach fits the identity, landscape characteristics and tasks within a region? What design proposals, earning models and forms of cooperation can enable the envisioned future vision for urban-rural regions?

Groningen contribution

From the University of Groningen, Tialda Haartsen, professor of rural geography, is leading the part of the project that deals with socio-cultural aspects of rural-city relations. Haartsen: “Together with Koen Salemink, we are going to investigate how images of the countryside and the city play a role in these relationships, whether there are life course and generational differences in these relationships, and we are looking specifically for future needs by talking to socially active young people.” From Groningen, Caspar van den Berg (professor of transitions in the public sector) is involved in the section on governance aspects of rural-urban relations, and Mans Schepers (associate professor in archaeology) is contributing to the section on biophysical aspects of rural-urban relations.

Five case areas

Fertile Soils is working intensively with five regions: Groningen-The Hogeland, Zwolle Region, Van Gogh National Park, Metropolitan Region Amsterdam and Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague. With these regions “learning communities” will be developed; groups of stakeholders who want to learn with and from each other. Knowledge exchange is strongly embedded in the project and the research remains continuously relevant by being able to respond to the challenges of the city regions. In the north, Van Hall Larenstein (Martijn van der Heide) and the province of Groningen are also partners in this project.

Fertile Soils is made possible in part by the NWO grant within the City and Country in Context program (Mission driven calls KIC 2020-2023). https://www.nwo.nl/nieuws/toewijzing-voor-een-aanvraag-voor-stad-en-land-in-samenhang