Miller Research were commissioned by the Welsh Government to carry out a refresh of the evidence base on rural Wales, to inform the logic for future funding interventions and help decision-making on rural development priorities.  

Our approach to the project began with a careful analysis of the most recent situational analysis completed for rural Wales (2014-2020), identifying headlines of subject matter to use as basis for the review. This was followed by a comprehensive audit of literature supplied by Welsh Government and those identified from our own resources, reviewing documents for updates in policy, data for each sector and any gaps in research. 

Once our literature review was completed, a SWOT analysis was undertaken for each of the sections; to construct a narrative of the picture that the data provided in regard to the economic, social and environmental context of rural Wales.  

The main output for the project was a final report that presented a thorough review of the evidence base, the key gaps identified – along with recommendations for future research within each sector – and delivered a nuanced picture of the breadth of rural matters and needs in Wales.