The New Rural Paradigm

I had a chance to hear Dr. Mark Drabenstott speak at the recent North Central Indiana WIRED celebration luncheon in Kokomo, IN. Some key points relayed by Dr. Drabenstott:

• Rural America continues to lose ground in the global economic race.
• Rural communities must move past commodities-based economies.
• Rural communities need to move beyond “Friday night basketball / football rivalries” and think regionally to establish critical mass.

The North Central Indiana WIRED initiative is an early example of a region attempting to do just what Drabenstott suggests.

During the past few years, I’ve had a chance to meet and interact with several economic development professionals. I’m amazed at how many neighboring towns and counties perceive they are in competition with one another. As Dr. Drabenstott emphasized, county lines and townships were established for an 18th century economy.

Rural communities need a new paradigm to survive and succeed.