Abstract ID: 3.12984 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | TBA | TBA

Mountainous regions in Austria, characterised by complex topographies and socio-economic disparities, face unprecedented challenges in terms of digital connectivity. The unique geographical and demographic characteristics of mountainous regions make the deployment of broadband infrastructure both technically challenging and economically demanding, creating a persistent digital divide within and between these regions and more developed urban areas. In these regions, agriculture and forestry are crucial for sustaining life. Around 60 percent of this sector’s holdings are located in mountainous regions in Austria. Of that 13 percent are in urban, 17 percent in intermediate and 70 percent are located in rural areas. The latter two could greatly benefit from improved connectivity. This would boost their access to the market, to education and to innovative practices for resource management, such as precision farming. They would be able to access real-time data and participate in knowledge-sharing networks. Finally, little to nothing is known about the differences in broadband availability between holdings managed by women and those managed by men in Austrian mountainous regions, and whether innovative solutions could help close any gap. This research, therefore, also maps separately the broadband availability for agricultural and forestry holdings managed by women and men in the Austrian mountainous regions using a GIS application and descriptive statistics. The up-to-date database draws from Integrated Administration and Control System and the Austrian Broadband Atlas and incorporates the rural-urban and mountainous regions typology by Statistic Austria. The research aims to (i) assess the extent of the digital divide in broadband availability by the gender of the manager within the mountainous regions and (ii) identify innovative approaches to overcome digital connectivity challenges in these areas. Empirical findings reveal significant disparities between urban and remote mountainous regions, highlighting the interplay between technological infrastructure and territorial development. By exploring the integration of digital infrastructure, this research contributes to the EU’s Digital Decade objectives and the work of the Austrian Broadband Office. It aims to support policy-making and future broadband initiatives which foster inclusive development and promote digital resilience in mountainous regions.