Partner news | Project news Bridging the digital divide in rural areas: EU project XGain launches the Knowledge Facilitation Tool

27/08/2025

The European project XGain is proud to announce the launch of its most important result: the Knowledge Facilitation Tool (KFT). This web-based tool is designed to make it easier for local authorities, farmers, and small businesses in rural areas to access fast internet connections and the digital infrastructure that suits their specific needs. It should help them make strategic choices and develop digital services.

Digital divide hinders rural development

Rural areas in Europe often experience significant delays in the adoption of advanced technologies such as 5G and edge computing for smart farming, for example. While urban areas are increasingly benefiting from connectivity improvements, villages, agricultural regions, and remote areas are lagging behind. This lack of digital infrastructure hinders economic development, public services, and social inclusion. Analysis of more than 80 user groups shows that in more than 70% of cases, insufficient access to broadband or mobile coverage is a major barrier to innovation and investment in rural areas.

What does the Knowledge Facilitation Tool (KFT) do?

The KFT tackles this digital divide with tailor-made recommendations. Through a user-friendly interface, the tool guides users—ranging from farmers and SMEs to government agencies—through a series of simple choices and questions. Based on this input, the tool suggests suitable technology combinations and implementation options. Each option is evaluated on the basis of four pillars: technological, economic, ecological, and social impact.

Key features of the KFT:

Personalized technology recommendations based on user needs, location, and device data
Social-ecological impact reports focusing on inclusion, emissions, energy consumption, and biodiversity
Technical-economic evaluations, including insights into investment and operating costs (CAPEX/OPEX)
Support in developing sustainable and value-driven business models

How to access the tool & inspiring examples

Access the tool here: https://xgain-kft.ebosrndportal.com/home
See demo videos and testimonials on the XGain website: https://xgain-project.eu

In Spain, the KFT helped local authorities determine fiber optic investment priorities in regions where farmers wanted to start smart farming. In Lithuania, the tool was used to support decisions on combining LoRaWAN with satellite connections in remote forests. In Flanders, the KFT led to insights into the use of private 5G networks on dairy farms.

The role of ILVO

ILVO played a key role in the development and validation of the KFT. Thanks to its Living Lab structure, ILVO contributed insights from Flemish farmers and technological stakeholders. ILVO also attracted the Flemish pilot projects that led to the improvement of the user experience and robustness of the tool.

Valorization campaign and next steps

In the run-up to the completion of XGain in August 2025, an extensive valorization campaign will be rolled out to further deploy KFT in Europe. This campaign includes, among other things:

targeted direct mailings to local authorities, agricultural organizations, and IT integrators
promotion of online demos and webinars for interested parties
maintaining and supporting the KFT for at least three years after the end of the project

A European partnership for digital inclusion

XGain is a research project funded by the European Union, with a total budget of approximately €5 million. The project brings together a consortium of 17 partners from 12 countries, combining technical, academic, and local expertise. XGain's mission is to bridge the digital divide in rural and remote areas through inclusive, sustainable, and innovative ICT solutions tailored to local needs.

Contact

Dr. Said Benaissa – ILVO researcher
Email: said.benaissa@ilvo.vlaanderen.be