Sustainable diversification - the future for rural areas: The case of post socialist countries
1993
Barbic, A. (Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana (Slovenia). Agronomy Dept.)
Besides being exposed to general contemporary processes which cause a decline in income and employment possibilities, the postsocialist European countries are additionally affected by the transition from a socialist to a capitalist social system. Agriculture is not an exception. Options, former socialist countries have for rural diversification are basically the same as those available to Western countries (the employment of some farm family members off the farm, attracting small and medium-size firms to move to rural areas, the promotion of new economic activities on farms as well as in rural communities based on agriculture or on other countryside resources, utilising passive sources of income and exploiting local specificities for local development). The residents of a rural area as a target and as actors play the essential role in securing sustainable rural diversification. In order to be effective, adequate legal arrangements have to be secured and residents' capacities evaluated before designing the relevant training and arranging effective partnerships among formal and informal institutions and groups to formulate and to carry out such a project. Despite of several obstacles for rural diversification, post-socialist European countries face, sustainably oriented economic activities are pleaded as the only future for rural areas in Europe
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