Alsunga
Smart Villages initiative aimed at boosting the local economy and the retention of young people
Description
Alsunga is a village in Latvia's second smallest municipality with a local economy built on forests and agriculture. The home production and cultural heritage of the Alsunga region are popular among tourists, and are among Alsunga's economic specializations. However, the village is facing challenges to its economy due to the declining working-age population and a shortage of housing. To encourage residents to stay in Alsunga, a Smart Village Strategy has been implemented under the Smart Rural 27 initiative with particular focus on the development of small local businesses and a robust tourism strategy, for which a voluntary association named the Smart Village Action Group has been established.
Technology
The key outputs of the strategy are the provision of fast internet across the village and the development of a mobile app that encourages cooperation between tourism entrepreneurs. To support the environment, a sensor station has been developed to monitor local weather, which may differ from that of the neighbouring settlement closer to the sea. The strategy has led to the establishment of ten wind power stations and a company that recycles inedible fish into a form of animal feed. Furthermore, to reduce the heavy traffic on the town’s only well-maintained walking trail, new digital trail routes have been created that can be downloaded as .gpx files and accessed by scanning a QR code. Once downloaded, users can follow the trails using the LVM GEO app developed by Latvia's State Forests. The municipality makes use of social networks for communication, and a Facebook group “Good to live in Alsunga municipality” in particular, set up as a forum for the discussion and resolution of problems.
Target
Among the main targets of the smart village initiative are the young people in the rural community due to their importance to the sustainable existence of the village, which depends on their desire to stay in the community. The smart village also attracts the private sector, as 58 agricultural enterprises, including peasant farms, and 15 forestry enterprises have been established in the municipality since the launch of the initiative. There are also 21 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) playing active roles within the community, contributing to its social and economic landscape.
Impact
The strategy targets the development of local value-based small businesses and the retention of the village population. On the youth development side, the strategy builds on the desire of students to use smartphones and develop their technological capabilities, raising their interest in future technological careers.
Partners
Local government entity
Four Betters
Better environment
Better life
