Rural Vulnerability, Vitality and Versatility

The concluding chapter aims to provide a series of guidelines for practitioners and researchers concerned with the future of rural development. Doing so, the chapter accompanies the readers through the 3V roadmap. From the start, the authors argue that, despite all their differences, all rural communities share the same narrative structure as well as three simple canonical principles: namely, the 3Vs assumptions. The Vulnerability assumption posits that all rural communities aim to avoid, mitigate, or eliminate the threats that render them vulnerable. The Vitality assumption is based on the idea that all rural communities want to protect, maintain and gain assets which are vital for them. The Versatility assumption establishes that any rural community must mobilise resources to support its Vitality assets and counter its Vulnerability threats. Critical of the ‘resilience’ concept and favouring the 3Vs approach, the authors then embark on the description of the 3V roadmap, structured around five key steps (and a series of 15 tasks) while paying special attention to remote sensing possibilities.