The Rural Development and Public Policy Evaluation Unit (UDERVAL), a research group housed within the Inter-University Institute for Local Development (IIDL) at the University of Valencia, is organizing the presentation of the publication: “Rural Trade at a Crossroads: Transformations and Future Challenges in the Valencian Interior”, this Friday, December 19, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Geography and History.

This publication is the result of work coordinated by Javier Esparcia, Professor of Regional Geographic Analysis in the Department of Geography, a researcher at IIDL and Director of UDERVAL, and the Department of Sustainable Territorial Development of the Provincial Council of Valencia, and the Trade and Territory Office (PATECO) of the Council of Official Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of the Valencian Community.

This presentation will outline the contents of the study, followed by a roundtable discussion with various stakeholders involved in the development of rural areas in the Valencian Community (see program).

Among other topics, the presentation, given by Dr. Javier Esparcia, will address the recent evolution of commerce in the rural municipalities of inland Valencia. This sector has undergone a profound transformation in recent decades, in parallel with the depopulation and aging affecting large areas of the Iberian Peninsula's interior. Beyond its economic dimension, rural commerce constitutes an essential service and a key space for socialization in communities with fragile demographic structures. However, its continuity is threatened by multiple factors: loss of working-age population, increasing dependence on private vehicles, unequal access to other urban centers, new consumption patterns, and, especially, difficulties in ensuring generational succession in existing businesses.

Faced with this scenario, the publication presented aims to go beyond simply diagnosing shortcomings and instead seeks to understand the ongoing transformations and identify viable adaptation strategies tailored to the specific territory. Consequently, the presentation will briefly address the current state of supply and demand in rural municipalities of inland Valencia and will outline strategies to strengthen the resilience and future of rural commerce in territories undergoing transformation. These strategies will be further developed through the subsequent roundtable discussion and the participation of various stakeholders.

The event is geared towards mayors, councilors, social actors, local, municipal, and regional development technicians, managers of Local Action Groups (LAGs), representatives of commercial entities with a presence in rural Valencian areas, as well as the general public interested in the various topics covered in the session.

To attend, simply confirm your participation by sending an email to uderval@uv.es, including your full name.

The program planned for the presentation this Friday, December 19th, is as follows (subject to change beyond the organizers' control):

10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks:

- Dr. Manuel Lomas, Dean of the Faculty of Geography and History, University of Valencia

- Dr. José Vicente Pérez, Director of the Inter-University Institute for Local Development, University of Valencia

- Mr. Avelino Mascarell, Deputy for the Environment, Head of the Department of Sustainable Territorial Development, Provincial Council of Valencia

- Mr. José Antonio Redorat, Director General of Local Administration, Valencian Government

10:30 a.m. Presentation: “Rural Commerce in dilemma: From Resources to Consumption Habits: Transformations and Future Challenges in the Valencian Interior”

- Dr. Javier Esparcia Professor of Regional Geographic Analysis, Department of Geography, University of Valencia

11:00 a.m. Roundtable: “Rural Commerce in Valencian Rural Areas: Challenges and Opportunities”

- Mr. Melanio Esteban, Mayor of Higueruelas (Valencia) and President of the Forum of Inland Municipalities of the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP).

- Mr. Agustín Rovira, Director of the Trade and Territory Office (PATECO) of the Council of Official Chambers of Commerce.

- Mr. Fidel García, Head of Section of the Department of Sustainable Territorial Development of the Provincial Council of Valencia.

12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

The publication is available in open access on the website of Publicacions Universitat València (PUV): https://puv.uv.es/el-comercio-rural-en-la-encrucijada.html It provides access to the table of contents and the complete work, which can be downloaded for free in PDF format.