Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review: stage 2 - Finland case study

5. The national rural legislative, policy and support infrastructure

5.1 The Rural Policy Council

The Rural Policy Council (MANE) (formerly the Rural Policy Committee until 2015) is the central cross-sectoral governance body for Finnish rural policy. It currently consists of 34 members, including senior officials from various ministries, regional authorities, civil society organisations, and the research community. The council is chaired by the Minister of Agriculture. MANE’s tasks, as outlined in the establishment decision (MMM2021), are to:

• Provide cross-sectoral support for the preparation and implementation of strategic rural policy decisions.
• Oversee the implementation and follow-up of the National Rural Policy Programme 2021–2027 in cooperation with ministries, regions, and civil society actors.
• Promote the integration of rural perspectives into national and EU-level policymaking.
• Enhance rural research and knowledge through national R&D funding and by promoting exchange of knowledge and experiences among rural actors.
• Strengthen place-based development through improved policy tools, knowledge exchange, and rural research (e.g. a working group for CLLD).
• Foster collaboration between rural, urban, and archipelago areas.

As the full MANE assembly meets only four times a year, most of its operational work is carried out by the Council’s secretariat, thematic networks (network projects), and working groups. According to the decision establishing MANE, its creation does not incur additional costs to the state budget. The Council’s general expenses are covered under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s existing budget, while each organisation represented in the Council is responsible for the costs of its own representatives.

The Rural Parliament (Maaseutuparlamentti) is a major event organised every three years under the leadership of MANE. It brings together stakeholders from across rural Finland to discuss policy, showcase successful projects in the selected rural location, and provide input for the development of national rural policy. The summary below presents some of its main features.”

5.2 The Finnish “Maaseutuparlamentti” (Rural Parliament)^[1]

5.2.1 Origin and International Context

The Maaseutuparlamentti is Finland’s national Rural Parliament, coordinated by the Rural Policy Council (Maaseutupolitiikan neuvosto, MANE) and held every three years in different regions of the country. The model draws clear inspiration from Sweden’s Landsbygdsriksdag, first organised in 1989 by the NGO Hela Sverige ska leva, which aimed to strengthen rural voices in national policymaking. Finland’s involvement in the European Rural Parliament network dates back to the 1990s, and the first official nationwide Finnish Rural Parliament was held in 2017 as part of the Suomi 100 centenary programme.

5.2.2 Purpose and Format

The Finnish Rural Parliament is a nationwide event bringing together residents, entrepreneurs, researchers, developers, policymakers, journalists, and civil society actors interested in rural futures. It aims to:

• Address critical current and future rural issues.
• Raise rural topics onto the national policy agenda with a strong public profile.
• Strengthen dialogue between rural actors, decision-makers and the media.

Since 2021 events are hybrid in format typically spanning three days and including field trips, workshops, debates, keynote speeches, mini-seminars, and cultural programmes. Participation is free of charge, though travel, accommodation, and meals are self-funded.

5.2.3 The “Rural Policy Declaration” (Julkilausuma)

A distinctive feature is the production of a national Rural Policy Declaration during the event. This document consolidates workshop results and collective priorities into a shared message for policymakers. The declaration is formally delivered to political groups in Parliament and, in some cases, to EU-level rural policy fora. In 2024, for example, the declaration was handed to Finnish parliamentary groups on 11 December as part of a structured follow-up process and was reported in the media.

5.2.4 Official Presentation in Policy Documents

In the MANE evaluation report (2016–2020) (Haila et al. 2021), the Maaseutuparlamentti is described as “an innovative model of broad participation and influence”. The event is credited with:

• Increasing public and political awareness of rural issues.
• Strengthening cooperation among rural actors.
• Placing rural themes on the national policy agenda.

The evaluation notes that while direct causal links between the event and specific policy outcomes are hard to prove, some declaration themes have found their way into the government programme and/or national strategies.

5.2.5 Influence and Impact

Documented mechanisms of influence include:

• Agenda-setting: Rural topics gain national media coverage during and after the event.
• Policy bridging: Declarations are presented to MPs and ministries.
• Network building: Cross-sectoral and multi levelled contacts formed at the event have led to new rural development projects or project ideas.

The shortcoming is that influence is more readily observed in awareness-raising and agenda-setting than in directly attributable legislative change.

5.3 National Rural Development Policy

The current Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (RDP) is entitled “Countryside Renewing with the Times – The National Rural Policy Programme 2021–2027” (Kattilakoski et al. 2021). It consists of five thematic areas, each elaborated through (74) measures. The priority themes in the current programme are:

1. Added value through sustainable use of natural resources

2. Rural actors - a part of the solution that is sustainable transition

3. Strengthening competitiveness and vitality

4. Ensuring a smooth everyday life

5. Strengthening inclusion and a sense of community in rural areas

The RDP does not entail direct funding; rather, it serves as a strategic steering document aimed at guiding and influencing the actions of the entire network of rural development and policy actors. It is worth noting that forging alliances amongst actors has long been central to Finnish rural policy-making, and that multi-level thematic networks play a key role in this process.

For example, under theme 1: “Added value through sustainable use of natural resources”, Measure 9 states: “Promote the wider adoption of natural and animal-assisted methods both in the promotion of welfare and health and in social welfare and healthcare services.” Implementing this measure theoretically involves a broad range of stakeholders, from public authorities that provide or procure such services, to legislators who enable their use and financing, and to green care businesses that deliver the services. Both potential funding and implementation responsibilities are distributed across various programmes and actors nationwide. For many public bodies, the issue may already fall within their regular remit.

Rural policy promotes its objectives primarily through informational steering, including policy recommendations based on research. National research and development projects are considered strategically important in the implementation of the programme as well as MANE’s overall tasks, but funding for the purpose tends to be increasingly limited. For example, only about €500,000 from the Farm Development Fund under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was available for the purpose in 2025 (Maaaseutupolitiikka 2025).

The implementation of the National Rural Policy Programme is monitored every second year through a self-assessment process. This involves the thematic networks, the secretariat, and the main council, who evaluate the achievement of both the programme’s general objectives and specific measures. A qualitative three-tier assessment model is used. An external evaluation is foreseen once in the programming period.

According to the last external evaluation of MANE conducted in 2021, the key elements in the implementation of rural policy in Finland include an emphasis on local development and the promotion of cooperation among a wide number of organisations and stakeholders. MANE has been particularly successful in facilitating networking among rural actors and enhancing the exchange of experiences between them by creating opportunities and a platform for collaboration, although the evaluation also noted that the level of engagement from different organisations has varied, reflecting both institutional priorities and the different interests of individual representatives (Haila et al. 2021).

Since the mid-1990s, the Finnish rural policy model has addressed rural development through two dimensions: “broad rural policy”, referring to the impact of various sectoral policies on rural areas, and “narrow rural policy”, focusing on measures specifically targeting rural development (Uusitalo 2009). Where evaluations have applied this distinction, narrow rural policy has demonstrated successes – for example in activating third-sector actors in rural areas. At the same time, however, broad rural policy has been viewed by several critics as having ambiguous processes and outcomes that are difficult to substantiate. (Sillanpää et al. 2012) (see Box 2).

Box 2. Broad and Narrow Rural Policy

In the 1990s, Finnish rural policy discourse began distinguishing between broad and narrow rural policy.

Strategically, broad rural policy refers to measures and responsibilities embedded within various administrative sectors and executed by different branches of government. The key objective is to influence these sectoral policies so that rural impacts are adequately taken into account in both political decision-making and administrative implementation.

Narrow rural policy, on the other hand, refers to the specific policy instruments and measures directly targeted at rural development. such as Leader. The significance of the narrow approach has grew particularly in the context of European Union policy frameworks and funding mechanisms.

To further the broad rural policy, MANE introduced the Rural Impact Assessment (RIA) in 2009.

More recently, Hyyryläinen (2025) argues that very little effective broad rural policy remains in Finland in the 2020s. The once ambitious overall structure of Finnish rural policy – namely the coordination of broad and narrow rural policies – has disintegrated since the early 2000s. Broad rural policy issues, such as infrastructure and education, have largely failed to deliver as they involve large-scale and costly challenges that are difficult to address within the national budget. The maintenance of rural roads or schools—both crucial for rural livelihoods—has been challenging despite their recognised importance. For example, the special state subsidy for small village schools, the “small school allowance,” was discontinued in Finland in 2006, and broad rural policy has so far failed to reverse this situation. Hyyryläinen (2025) suggests that, in the future, Finnish rural policymaking could move towards a more systemic mission-based approach.

5.4 Other national actors

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MMM) serves as the managing authority for EU co-funded rural development in Finland. It coordinates the strategic planning, legislative framework, and government co-financing associated with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The Rural Policy Council is chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) (formerly the Finnish Agency for Rural Affairs) functions as the paying agency for CAP funds, ensuring compliance with EU regulations and overseeing the disbursement of EU rural development funds. It also provides technical guidance and administrative support. The Authority operates under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and is located in Seinäjoki but serves all of Finland.

The National Rural Network: Since 2007, Finland has maintained a single National Rural Network. Today, the network is structured around the digital platform Maaseutuverkosto.fi with which covers the full scope of the EU CAP Strategic Plan (2023-2027) and liaises with the EU CAP Network. As such, the Finnish Rural Network forms an integral part of Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan and is funded through its technical assistance. The Maaseutuverkosto.fi portal also provides access to the Fisheries Network (linked to The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, the ‘EMFAF’ actions) and to Agrihubi.fi, a nationally funded platform for farmers’ competence.

Although the Rural Network is open to all stakeholders and lacks a clearly defined organisational structure, references to it are typically meaning the Rural Network Service Unit - the coordinating body that drives the network’s activities and fosters stakeholder collaboration. The unit consists of eleven professionals: five serve as Network Coordinators, four as Communication Coordinators, and one as an Event Coordinator, in addition to the Head of Unit. Together, this multidisciplinary team ensures the smooth coordination of activities, communication, training, and stakeholder collaboration across the Rural Network.

Thematically, the work [of the Unit] is distributed roughly equally between place-based rural development measures, agricultural measures (including the climate and European Innovation Partnerships themes) and communication. Approximately one person-year altogether is dedicated specifically to LEADER-related measures and services^[2].

The Network Service Team operates under the Rural Department of the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto), which was known until 2019 as the Agency for Rural Affairs (Maaseutuvirasto). The Rural Network implements both multi-year and annual plans, which are approved and monitored by its Steering Group. The Steering Group is appointed by the Managing Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The budget for the Network Service for 2023–2027 is approximately €10 million, representing about 10% of the total Technical Assistance of the National CAP Plan for 2023–2027.

Below are some key characteristics and indicators of the Rural Network’s activities in 2024 (Maaseutuverkosto 2024):

• 111 events organised or co-organised by the service unit
• 10,670 participants nationwide (62% online, 38% in person)
• Activities at all levels: 75% national, 22% international, 5% regional/local
• Top five participant organisations or affiliations: advisory organisations, ELY Centres, LAGs, municipalities, and educational organisations
• Average score across all events: 3.87 out of 5
• Actual budget for 2024: €1,909,056

The 2025 budget foresees €975,000 for personnel costs, €500,000 for communication, €269,000 for training, and €297,000 for good practices and networking (Maaseutuverkosto 2025b).