RuralCat platform
About this good practice
RuralCat is a digital platform, launched in 2003, that provides support for rural development in the agri-food, forestry, and fishing sectors.
Resources needed
Financial resources: €450,000/year for maintenance, software development, and IT personnel + internal personnel for content development, updates, and administration.
Evidence of success
• Over 70,000 registered users, with 2.5 million annual page views and 500,000 sessions.
• Active presence on social media with over 16,000 X (former Twitter) followers, 7,000 Facebook followers, and Instagram followers.
• 1,700 YouTube subscribers with 35,000 annual video views.
• Over 20,000 subscribers to the weekly newsletter.
Potential for learning or transfer
Potential for learning or transfer:
This practice offers several key elements that make it potentially interesting for other regions:
• Centralised access to comprehensive information, training courses, and support services for professionals in the agricultural, forestry, and fishing sectors.
• Facilitation of unofficial communication channels between administration and professionals, enabling rapid response to sectoral needs.
• Deployment of expertise from both internal departmental staff and external entities, ensuring credibility and effectiveness.
• The platform serves as a tool for community building and professional networking.
These factors make the practice adaptable and transferable to other regions seeking to enhance communication, knowledge exchange, and support services within their agricultural and food sectors.
Further information
Images
Documents
Website
Good practice owner
Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural, Generalitat de Catalunya