# French rural revitalization and cooperative initiatives > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/french-rural-revitalization-and-cooperative-initiatives > Updated: 2026-10-22T16:58:33.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. In southeastern France, the Villages Vivants cooperative is working to combat rural desertification. Founded in 2017, the organization revitalizes local communities by purchasing and renovating vacant buildings to lease to entrepreneurs at affordable rates. This model has supported the opening of 35 locations, including bakeries and cafes, generating 150 jobs and focusing on short supply chains. In the Pays de la Loire region, livestock farmers are implementing similar cooperative and ecological models. The ‘Biodiversités maraîchines’ initiative involves breeders and local organizations to raise Maraîchine cattle in ways that maintain natural landscapes and protect biodiversity. Additionally, veal breeders in the region are utilizing the Cevap cooperative model to centralize the purchase of feed and veterinary products, allowing farmers to maintain involvement from production through to commercialization. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-22: Vendée livestock farmers implement biodiversity and cooperative models Farmers in France's Vendée region are adopting new cooperative and biodiversity-focused models to protect natural landscapes and improve economic transparency for livestock breeding. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vende-livestock-farmers-implement-biodiversity-and-cooperative-models ### 2026-10-10: Villages Vivants cooperative combats rural desertification in France The French cooperative Villages Vivants combats rural desertification by renovating vacant buildings to support local businesses and social cohesion in southeastern France. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/villages-vivants-cooperative-combats-rural-desertification-in-france --- Cite as: French rural revitalization and cooperative initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/french-rural-revitalization-and-cooperative-initiatives