The Rural Development Academy will present and discuss the latest thinking on social justice and decent work in the rural economy. It will allow participants to critically analyse policies, strategies and tools that can promote resilient livelihoods, secure decent income and wages, enhance productivity and develop the capacities of rural communities to tailor their own transformational pathways.    

Participants in the Academy will increase their understanding of the ILO’s rights-based approach to rural development and will internalize the power of social dialogue as a driver and governance instrument for sustainable rural development. They will familiarize themselves with the principles of a just transition towards environmentally sustainable rural economies and equip themselves to apply them in their own contexts. 

The Academy will allow rural development policy makers and practitioners to gain knowledge and share views about policies and strategies to enhance skills, support sustainable enterprise development and promote rights at work for rural workers and producers. The curriculum will take into account challenges such as persisting youth unemployment and the impact of climate change on rural livelihoods, but also the opportunities deriving from innovation, technology and economic diversification, including rural tourism. Gender equality and leave-no-one-behind principles will be mainstreamed across all sessions. 

The Academy will consist of two interconnected phases. The programme will start with a two-week on-line phase, followed by a one-week face-to-face programme at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy. In order to receive the Academy certification, the participants need to complete both phases of the programme.