WORK PACKAGES
The DESERT Project is structured into seven work packages, each designed to achieve the project’s objectives in a coordinated and efficient manner. Every package corresponds to a key phase of the project’s development, from initial research to the implementation of solutions.
These work packages address specific thematic areas, enabling a comprehensive and complementary approach. This structure fosters collaboration among the different teams and allows the project to be approached from multiple perspectives, ultimately leading to well-founded and impactful solutions.
WP1 – Mapping food and physical exercise deserts
Objective: Systematically identify and map rural areas that qualify as food and/or physical exercise deserts in Spain, Portugal, and Turkey.
Description
The first work package addresses the project’s initial objective and is led by the Monreal del Campo Health Centre, with support from the University of Zaragoza.
This phase focuses on mapping food and physical exercise deserts using the methodology established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, based on accessibility criteria and Geographic Information Science (GIS). The mapping will cover three regions: the province of Teruel in Spain, the Alto Alentejo in Portugal, and the Iğdır region in Turkey.
While indicators for food accessibility are already well established, equivalent indicators for access to physical exercise resources—such as gyms, sports facilities, and public infrastructure—are still lacking. These will be developed within Work Package 3.
The expected outcomes include a standardised protocol for mapping these types of deserts across Europe and an interactive map that will be made available through the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas.
WP2 – Equity profile of food deserts
Objective: Describe the sociodemographic, geographic, economic, and service access characteristics of rural food deserts.
Description
The second work package addresses the project’s second objective and is led by researchers from Medipol University. It involves a comprehensive review of existing literature on food deserts, along with the collection of expert and community perspectives using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methods.
The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the specific characteristics of rural food deserts in Europe, to identify systematic differences in their composition, and to explore the economic, demographic, social, and clinical factors associated with limited access to supermarkets, grocery stores, and healthy food choices in rural areas.
The expected outputs include a research report on the equity profile of rural food deserts, guidelines for conducting further research in this field across Europe, and the publication of collected data through the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas.
WP3 – Define the concept of physical exercise desert
Objective: Design a protocol to identify physical exercise deserts in rural areas through specific indicators, and propose a definition of this concept.
Description
The third work package is a top priority, as no established protocol currently exists for identifying and assessing rural physical exercise deserts. The University of Évora will lead this effort. The team will begin by conducting a concept analysis to define physical activity deserts within the context of rural Europe and will develop a set of indicators to assess them through a multi-stage process.
This work will be guided by the World Health Organization’s recommendations on physical activity for different population groups. Findings will be triangulated with input from local communities, community leaders, and other key stakeholders using a participatory action research approach.
The expected outcomes include a detailed report on the research process, practical guidelines for identifying and assessing physical activity deserts, and the publication of results through the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas.
WP4 – Equity profile of physical exercise deserts
Objective: Describe the sociodemographic, geographic, economic, and service access characteristics of rural exercise deserts.
Description
The fourth work package corresponds to the project’s fourth objective and will once again be led by the University of Évora. Its structure and methodology mirror those of Work Package 2, which focuses on developing the equity profile of food deserts in rural areas; however, the indicators will be adapted to reflect the concept of physical exercise deserts.
These tasks are intended to be carried out in parallel with those of related work packages, making it essential to achieve the preceding objectives promptly. The expected outputs will be similar to those of Work Package 2, including an equity profile report and the publication of findings through the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas.
WP5 – Analysis of existing strategies and policies
Objective: Document, evaluate and disseminate promising and best practice interventions in rural food and exercise deserts, and analyze existing barriers to promote healthy eating and physical exercise in rural areas.
Description
The fifth work package is led by researchers at Medipol University and focuses on analysing existing resources, strategies, and policies related to food and physical exercise deserts. The objective is to identify both good and suboptimal practices, as well as barriers to healthier diets and improved physical activity. The first step will involve a scoping review or literature mapping to gather relevant information. This will be followed by an evaluation and classification of practices using the WHO Best Practice Criteria.
Identified good practices will be documented and made available through the DESERT project’s online platform. Given that much of the existing research originates from the United States, some practices may not be directly applicable to the European context. For this reason, we will also gather good practices based on experiential knowledge from local communities in Spain, Portugal, and Turkey. In many of these regions, various strategies and interventions have likely been implemented—with varying degrees of success—to promote healthier diets and physical exercise.
To support this process, we will employ a range of data collection methods, including individual and group interviews with key informants from diverse social sectors. These insights will help describe and analyse locally implemented, inspiring practices.
WP6 – Community participation in participatory action research
Objective: Engage rural communities and other relevant stakeholders in participatory processes to identify needs and develop local solutions.
Description
The sixth work package is a cross-cutting component of the project and will be led by researchers from the University of Zaragoza. Participatory Action Research (PAR) requires a context-sensitive and goal-oriented approach that prioritises social change, promotes democratic values, and challenges inequities. It follows an iterative cycle of research, action, and reflection, drawing on a range of qualitative and quantitative methods. Unlike traditional research methods, PAR is specifically designed to ensure genuine and meaningful participation. However, the level and form of stakeholder engagement may vary throughout the research process. This work package aims to integrate PAR principles across all seven work packages, develop practical guidelines for implementing PAR in rural contexts, and contribute to the scientific dissemination and promotion of this research methodology.
WP7 – Development of the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas.
Objective: Build a sustainable online platform to share project findings and promote the dissemination of best practices.
Description
The seventh and final work package involves the design and development of the European Observatory on Food Deserts and Physical Exercise Deserts in Rural Areas. This task will be led by researchers from the University of Zaragoza, in collaboration with information technology specialists. Together with key stakeholders, we will conduct a comprehensive needs analysis, covering aspects such as accessibility, user registration, editing rights, communication tools, and platform hosting.
The analysis will take into account not only the needs of the DESERT research team, but also those of our target audiences, including rural communities, health and social care professionals, local and national authorities, academics, and others. Based on this analysis, we will develop and programme the online platform with IT expert support.
Finally, the platform will be piloted as both a tool for communication and dissemination, and as a central database. By the end of this work package, we aim to deliver a fully functional, accessible, and sustainable platform, along with a digital user manual to support its use.
