Saving Rural Communities

Saving rural communities — what are the obstacles and the opportunities facing rural towns and regions today?

In this thought-provoking video produced by NET and Harvest Public Media, Brian Depew, Executive Director, Center for Rural Affairs, Maxine Moul, former Nebraska director for Rural Development, US Department of Agriculture, and Caleb Pollard, Ord, Nebraska entrepreneur,  discuss some of the crucial issues facing rural communities generally, including the challenge — and importance — of a maintaining a viable school.

It becomes evident during the course of the discussion that there is no one easy fix for any of the issues facing rural towns and regions. The fate of the local school is inextricably mixed with the need to retain and attract young people; the need to encourage entrepreneurship and new approaches to old problems is tied to the need to renew local leadership; new employment opportunities are linked to the availability of appropriate skills training and retraining.

The list is a long and daunting one, but as  Depew, Moul, and Pollard point out successes as well as challenges, it’s clear there’s hope!

For more on rural renewal, visit our Rural Revitalization page. For more on rural education, see our Rural Education page.