Case Study: The Smart Countryside Initiative in Finland

The Finnish government carried out the “Smart Countryside” study in 2016, which analyzes the challenges facing the countryside and the opportunities brought by digitization. The aim is to explore the possibilities of development and diversification of rural services through digitization and experimentation.

The study shows that local people and rural businesses are ready to use digital services. Digitization can bring services closer to local people, reduce costs and have a significant impact on the rural environment, which is rapidly changing in structure and increasingly distant from public services.

However, not all citizens or companies want or have the necessary skills to benefit from this modernization. So educating local people in the use of the tools and their benefits is essential.

The research provides recommendations for improving digital innovation in rural services, which are now used to inform the community in relation to current and future projects such as basic broadband services and the government’s decision on rural digitalisation.

The GAL (Local Action Group) Pohjoisin Lappi in Lapland conducted a preliminary study to look at digital health services in remote areas, those kiosk medical services with diagnostic devices that patients can use independently. The kiosk also has a video connection with a nurse or doctor. The results are positive, but there is clearly a need for more diverse and complex services to support the use of digital services.

The project to make the digital leap is a one-year process that belongs to the Jokivarsipompanit LAG. The aim is to strengthen the capacity of local businesses, NGOs and the local population to use digital services. The project combines training, information and demonstration actions. Topics include business video conferencing, social media marketing, search engine optimization, information security, use of digital services by older adults, and virtual reality as a means of enhancing remote work.