In autumn 2025 and the first half of 2026, Úhlava, o.p.s. is working on the project LocalLinks.AI – Smart Mapping and Activation of Short Food Supply Chains in Rural–Urban Regions, supported under the PoliRuralPlus DEVELOP Open Call.

The project focuses on improving the functioning of short food supply chains and strengthening connections between rural producers and urban customers in the Pilsen Region, particularly in the border areas of Šumava and the Bavarian Forest.

LocalLinks.AI aims to contribute to better data integration across sectors, including agriculture, retail, public administration, and tourism. The goal is to create a clearer overview of relationships between producers and buyers of regional products and support more efficient local markets.

The digital application developed within the project will serve as a tool for collecting, updating, and visualising data on supplier–customer relationships among regional producers and buyers.

The project builds on existing regional initiatives. It expands the digital marketplace developed within the THEROS project, which has been operational since 2025 and focuses on organic food and products with protected designation. The system is planned to be further developed to include a broader range of regional specialities or complemented by alternative solutions according to user needs.

At the same time, the project works with the Atlas of Regional Specialties, extending its functionality to include interactive visualisation of relationships between producers and customers.

Results from the Data4Food2030 project, particularly related to data interoperability and inter-sectoral data services, also contribute to the project.

The digital solution integrates several components, including tools for collecting and updating supplier–customer data, AI-supported analysis of publicly available information, interactive map visualisation of regional supply networks, and a GeoAI chatbot interface integrated with the PoliRuralPlus JackDaw tool.

The project is based on cooperation among a wide range of regional actors involved in producing, distributing, or supporting regional food. These include small and medium-sized producers, farmers, traders, buyers, public administration, non-profit organisations, and consumers.

The analysis of requirements and development of a functional prototype have already been completed. Between February and June 2026, the project focuses on validation, dissemination, and sharing of results.

By improving transparency and accessibility of regional supply networks, the project contributes to more efficient local markets and supports the sustainable transformation of the rural economy in the pilot area.

Original article: https://www.uhlava.cz

Funding acknowledgement

The project PoliRuralPlus has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101136910.

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