Digital villages

The "Digital Villages" project was launched in summer 2015 with the aim of examining the challenges of contemporary life in rural regions in relation to digitization. Since then, the project has been developing concepts and solutions that demonstrate the opportunities of a holistic approach to the topic of digitization in the sense of a digital ecosystem.

The "Digital Villages" project, funded by the Ministry of the Interior and Sports of Rhineland-Palatinate, Fraunhofer IESE, and the Rhineland-Palatinate Development Agency, is considered a pioneer for many other initiatives that have emerged in Germany since then. Together with us, they want to make digital services applicable in rural areas as well.

From 2017 to 2020, the second phase of the project will focus in particular on communication. Here, too, initial solutions have already been developed together with the municipality and citizens that are accessible to other municipalities.

DorfNews is a local online portal. The aim is to bring local information quickly to the citizens. Events, current news, opening hours, e.g. for the citizens' office, and the local weather can be accessed. Citizens, associations and companies are involved in the process.

With the DorfFunk app as the communication center of the regions, citizens can offer their help, post requests or simply chat with each other casually. Since the news from DorfNews is also radioed, you always stay up to date. The wire between municipality and citizens also glows thanks to DorfFunk - with just one radio, suggestions or deficiencies can be sent automatically to the right municipal employees.

In keeping with the project motto: "From the land for the land," further digital solutions have been and continue to be developed together with the residents in the so-called Living Labs of the communities. For example, we are currently working on the LösBar in the area of communication. This is intended to intensify the exchange between citizens and the administration.