RETS: An Introduction to Rural Economic Transition
An introductory explanation of the institutional, production, market and regenerative transitions in the RETS framework.
GETCARE FOUNDATIONOverview
The Rural Economic Transition System (RETS) provides a practical structure for connecting community formalisation, productive capacity, market relationships, local enterprise and environmental sustainability.
Core proposition
Resilient local economies emerge through a sequence of mutually reinforcing capabilities rather than a disconnected set of activities. A transition-oriented approach helps teams identify constraints, sequence services and track meaningful changes over time.
Modules
Community formalisation, production stabilisation, market integration, local enterprise creation and extractive economy transition.
Application
RETS informs both agrifood-system programmes such as FAHAP and the community and landscape transitions explored under RECLAIM. It also provides a foundation for research into adaptive sequencing.
Evidence status
This is an institutional framework overview. It is not a claim that the approach has already been independently validated in all proposed settings. Future applied research and evaluation should test its assumptions and usefulness.