---
id: ch3-spain
type: spine
title: "Sierra y Mancha Conquense (Cuenca), Spain: Segóbriga heritage as a development engine"
readingTime: 3
standalone: true
core: true
teaser: "A Roman archaeological park, a historic pilgrim route and 56 municipalities: can heritage hold a depopulating territory together?"
voice: universal
parent: null
recallQ: "How does the Spanish pilot use cultural heritage, and what does its Regional Action Plan target by 2028?"
recallA: "It uses the Segóbriga Archaeological Park and the Camino de la Orden de Santiago as anchors for tourism, entrepreneurship and cooperation across the ADESIMAN territory. By 2028 the RAP targets 30 % growth in heritage-tourism receipts, population decline slowed to under 0.5 % a year, three smart-territory digital solutions, at least ten energy-community projects and sixteen community composters."
highlights:
  - "Territory: the ADESIMAN area in Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha), anchored on the Segóbriga Archaeological Park"
  - "ADESIMAN, formed in 1997 from two local development groups, covers 56 municipalities"
  - "RAP targets for 2028 include +30 % heritage-tourism receipts and population decline under 0.5 % a year"
  - "Open calls: AI4RURAL ideathon in Tarancón; ARISE, a public platform linking heritage routes and local businesses"
status: accepted
concept: cuenca-pilot
conceptTitle: "The Sierra y Mancha Conquense pilot"
parents: pilot-network
lang: en
lens: spain
depth: standard
formalism: none
visuality: balanced
lengthBand: deep
genre: explainer
state: core
carriers: prose|table|image
---

The Spanish pilot covers the territory of **ADESIMAN**, the Federation for the Development of Sierra and Mancha Conquense, in the province of Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha). ADESIMAN was formed on 7 January 1997 by merging two local development groups, ADIMMAC and SEDECUCE. It covers 56 municipalities and has run development programmes such as PRODER 1 and 2. Its cultural anchor is the **Segóbriga Archaeological Park**, and the historic **Camino de la Orden de Santiago** route crosses the area.

![The Roman theatre of Segóbriga](images/pilots/spain.webp)
*The Roman theatre of Segóbriga. Photo: PoliRuralPlus pilot materials (RP7), poliruralplus.eu*

| | |
|---|---|
| Territory | ADESIMAN area, Sierra y Mancha Conquense, Cuenca |
| Partners | Fundación SocialInnoLabs, SINNO (lead); Plan4All, P4A (support); ADESIMAN co-authored the brief |
| Theme | Rural-urban synergies and cultural heritage |
| RAP | Sierra y Mancha Conquense territorial strategy, targets to 2028 |
| Open calls | Mobilise: AI4RURAL Ideathon (ITECAM). Develop: ARISE |

## The challenge

The pilot wants to treat heritage, entrepreneurship, the digital transition and local capacity building as one agenda, not four. The brief lists depopulation, ageing and a male-dominated population; sparse broadband; heritage sites such as Segóbriga and Valeria without coordinated branding, digital integration or year-round visitor services; dependence on primary sectors; water scarcity and weak waste infrastructure; and fragmented governance and finance.

## What the plan sets out

By 2028 the RAP targets **30 % growth in heritage-tourism receipts**, population decline slowed to **under 0.5 % a year**, **three smart-territory digital solutions**, **at least ten municipal energy-community projects** and **sixteen community composters**. The brief recommends:

- a **Rural-Urban Synergy & Cultural-Heritage Innovation Hub** with a digital marketplace, immersive tourism apps and shared workspaces;
- an **ADESIMAN Smart Territory** programme linking four digitised archaeological and cultural sites by 2027;
- an €80 million Cultural Bio-Circular Fund (CAP-LEADER, ERDF, private capital) and a refundable 25 % tax credit for low-carbon agritourism and digital platforms;
- a network of rural service hubs (co-working, tele-medicine, e-mobility) in every town above 500 inhabitants by 2028;
- five certified courses for at least 100 participants.

## Tools, open calls and status

The **AI4RURAL Ideathon** (Mobilise), run by ITECAM in Tarancón, brought together about thirty professionals, start-ups and local actors to develop AI-based ideas for smart tourism, heritage, environmental management and local services. **ARISE** (Archaeological Routes for Inclusive Synergy & Entrepreneurship; Develop), led by the Obsidian Innovation Institute with Xilbi Sistemas de Información, produced a **public digital platform** that links archaeological heritage, cultural routes and local tourism services. It includes a business directory and an AI guide.

ARISE is the pilot's working output. The hub, the fund and the service network are proposals. D7.4 adds an "EDIL" governance platform and AI-based tourism and energy modelling to the expected results.

**Sources:**
- D7.3 Policy Brief No. 1, Annex 7 "Revitalising Rural–Urban Synergies and Cultural Heritage in Sierra y Mancha Conquense, Spain". [PDF](https://www.poliruralplus.eu/docs/349/D7.3_Policy_Brief_No.1.pdf)
- D5.1 Prepared pilot by Stakeholder Multi-Actor Approach, §2.7 "Spain". [PDF](https://www.poliruralplus.eu/docs/150/D5.1_Prepared_pilot_by_Stakeholder_Multi-Actor_Approach_v1.0.pdf)
- D7.4 Exploitation plans and business models, edition 1, §3 Table 10. [PDF](https://www.poliruralplus.eu/docs/342/D7.4_Exploitation_plans__business_models_edition_1_v1.pdf)
- D6.3 Comprehensive Report on Funded Activities and Impact Assessment (AI4RURAL, ARISE). [PDF](https://www.poliruralplus.eu/docs/437/D6.3_Comprehensive_report.pdf)
- PoliRural+ website, pilot page "Spain – Sierra and Mancha Conquense / Segobriga" (2024 and 2026 texts). [poliruralplus.eu](https://www.poliruralplus.eu/)