The ERDN was established in 2002 as a forum for the exchange of ideas and research experience and a platform for cooperation between Polish and European scientific and research institutions in the field of rural development and agriculture, especially from the perspective of the European Union enlargement and its future policies. Thus, the main objective of the Network’s activity is the exchange of research results in areas that pose a challenge both for individual Member States and candidate countries and for the European Union’s development policy. The activities of the ERDN are fully in line with the EU idea of creating a European Research Area for agriculture and rural development. The network includes leading research centers carrying out research in the field of rural development in Europe, especially in Central and Eastern European countries. It supports its members in applying for and implementing projects under Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Interreg, etc. The Institute of Economics and Rural Development of LCSS is a member of the Network since the beginning in 2002.
The anniversary conference in 2022 was organized in cooperation with the Koszalin University of Technology – the newest member of the Network. This conference aimed to exchange methodological experiences and research results as well as to integrate the different approaches to rural systems in Poland and other European countries, present current research and discuss the future development of rural areas in Europe, as well as to develop recommendations for the creation of effective policies for rural development and agriculture. Over 50 participants from all member countries attended the conference.
Researchers from LCSS Institute of Economics and Rural Development presented the newest research results under the title “Innovative Approach to Local Food Systems Building: Servitization of Farming”.