The research paper discusses the growing importance of rural tourism and community based development as a means of sustainable regional development. Growing number of international visitors in Georgia, as well as high agriculture dependence of local population, requires the Government to have a clear long-term strategic vision for tourism and rural development policies. Understanding of the local community role in the sustainable tourism development will enhance the decentralization processes. Experience of developed countries like Italy and German, Check republic, New Zealand, etc. shows that in the wake of the emergence of rural tourism, many countries changed and harmonized policies that reflected modification in national regulations and development strategies. The Georgia’s favorable climate and soil have historically shaped agriculture one of its most productive economic sectors. Nevertheless, nowadays the sector does not provide favorable economic benefits to the local population. As a promising component, research paper identifies rural tourism as a central stimulator for agriculture sector adding strength to a traditional poor rural economy. Analysis of various existing policy initiatives in Georgia shows urgent need for harmonization of policy documents and local community involvement.

This article reports on the evaluation of the wellbeing of rural people in Lithuania. Literature analysis and empirical findings suggest that research on wellbeing has received scant attention, especially at the local level in Lithuania. Although, to date, some research has been carried out on other specific factors of wellbeing such as belonging to a particular social group, wellbeing in the city, or wellbeing related to job environment, etc., far too little attention has been paid to socio-demographic variables. These limitations call for a more comprehensive discussion and analysis of the situation of a wellbeing and its tendencies in rural areas. The aim of this research is to evaluate the relationship between wellbeing and socio-demographic characteristics of residents of rural areas in Lithuania. Statistical calculations evaluating the wellbeing of rural people were made by using data from the last Round 8 of the European Social Survey. The findings show that the wellbeing of rural people is related to socio- demographic characteristics. People living in big cities of Lithuania rate their happiness higher than those living in towns or small cities and rural areas; residents of rural areas of Lithuania who live with children are happier and more satisfied with life than those living without children at household grid; weak and negative, but statistically significant, correlations between happiness and age, and satisfaction with life and age were observed; younger residents in rural areas of Lithuania are happier and more satisfied with life in comparison to older ones; the longer people study, the happier and more satisfied with life they are; divorced are less happy and satisfied with life than those who have never been married as well as those who are legally married or are widows/widowers; people who study are happier and more satisfied with life than those who work, are unemployed or retired. Key words: Wellbeing, rural areas, happiness, satisfaction with life, European social survey.

Sewage sludge is a rest product deriving from the wastewater treatment plants. It is rich in nutrients and essential elements. Therefore sludge on-land utilisation can create an added value by recovering energy from biomass produced on marginal lands. However, widespread on-land recycling of sewage sludge might be limited due to high heavy metal content. Health organisations show an increasing concern about the risks posed to the environment and human health as many countries worldwide already are facing the heavy metal contamination problem. In the scientific literature it can be found, that high total heavy metal content is not directly related to an intensive metal uptake by plants. In this study samples were collected from three woody plant species (black locust, silver birch and aspen) growing directly on the sewage sludge in a storage site near Kaunas, Lithuania. Heavy metal content was detected separately in the leaves, stems and roots. It was determined that nearly all analysed heavy metals (lead, chromium, nickel, copper and zinc) were accumulated within normal range despite high total concentrations in the growing media, and only cadmium was accumulated at elevated concentration. Based on bioaccumulation factor, aspen could be considered as a Cd-accumulator and used for phytoremediation purposes.

Information and communication technologies (ICT) already several decades is an integral part of business management and accounting data processing. Scientific publications most cases deal with increase the efficiency of calculations and information processing, improvement the quality of accounting information systems, but very little attention is paid to changes in the behaviour of accounting staff resulted by the implementation of modern information processing technologies. Scientific problem is the measuring of impact of the modern information and communication technologies on behaviour of advisors in accounting. Paper provides the results of theoretical analysis of impact, made by ICT on changes in registration and processing of accounting transactions and competences are necessary for accounting specialist. Empirical investigation bases on analysis of the data received during questioning consultants in accounting and economics, working at the Lithuanian Agricultural Advisory Service about the structure of working time allocated for various tasks and on changes in the structure of working time due to the use of ICT.

The aim of this study is to compare productivity and costs of medium-sized and small-sized harvesters in pre-commercial thinning. In this study the data on harvesting productivity were obtained in stands, where biofuel was prepared using two medium-sized and two small-sized harvesters equipped with different harvester heads. In total 677 m3 of wood was prepared with medium-sized harvester, but with small-sized harvesters 1 164 m3 of wood was prepared. Although the total annual costs of small-class harvesters are lower by 16 %, comparing with middle-class harvesters, the productivity rates shown by the middle-class harvester John Deere 1070 E (equipped with H 754 harvester head) are significantly higher and the average wood preparation costs are lower, comparing with the other harvesters employed.  

In Latvia peat production is historically important economic sector, giving significant contribution to rural economic development and providing work places in rural areas, where other job opportunities are limited. Every peat extraction field has certain lifespan, based on economic, social or ecological assumptions. Every peat field could be extracted for set period of time, after which peat extraction is not feasible any more. Current legislation in Latvia requires re-cultivating of places, where mineral resources, including peat, were extracted. Aim of the study is to evaluate afforestation as one of the cut-away peatland re-cultivation possibility. Economic analysis were done for extracted peat field afforestation with birch, black alder, grey alder, pine, spruce, hybrid aspen, poplar and willow. The economic calculations were done comparing different timber products from plantations, different planting materials and plantation lifespans. Lowest investment costs for plantation establishment on cut-away peatlands are for pine and spruce plantations and highest for willow plantations. Highest revenues in plantations with 20 years rotation cycle are in poplar plantations with 0.2 m cuttings and lowest in grey alder plantations. In plantations with rotation cycle 40 years highest revenues are in hybrid aspen plantations and lowest in pine plantations. 

Individual municipal waste streams of Kaunas (Lithuania) in the period 2012-2015 period was found that mixed municipal waste collected in the city of Kaunas municipality, prefabricated containers, compared to the 2012 decreases. 2015. Collect points mixed municipal waste are reduced from 118,065.56 tons to 100,470.6 tons, accounting for 15%. Biodegradable (green waste) quantities of green waste collection a site does not increase compared in 2012 and 2015. (in 2014 these waste was not collected). The decrease may be affected by that green waste is used boiler house that green waste for energy recovery. The recyclable waste separate secondary maximum (4.5 times) Increased quantities of collected waste paper, plastic positive capture an increase of 1.5 times. Glass collection containers steadily decreasing (from 2.46 tons 2012 to 1094 tons 2015). The trend to rise only noticeable only after complementary systems and DGASA (deposit system). In particular increased textile waste collection (up to 10 times). Toxic waste collection Kaunas City Municipality is constantly increasing tire (up to 2 times); waste containing mercury and packages containing hazardous substances (up to 3 times.). Electrical and electronic waste collection throughout the 2012 -2015 year. Period effective complementary systems (collected 99 % of such waste), but the amounts vary from year to year, and substantial growth was observed. Population change shows that especially affect the population of secondary separate paper (r= 0.994, p = 0.04), plastic (r=0.923, p =0, 0.047), tires (r=0.960, p =0, 0.040), and toxic waste (lamps, and hazardous materials) collection. According to the results it can be said that some of the waste (green, glass, electrical equipment) gathers a group of people decided to lead.

Agricultural machinery manufacturers historically referred to the intermediate players for selling, maintenance, customer service and/or training of equipment appear to interact with farmers and end-users. Intermediate players have therefore faced the burden to master the technology, in constant evolution, and the associated training needs at the interface between a sophisticated equipment and the end-user and its sociological characteristics (age, education, background, etc.). However, the effective deployment of agricultural technologies data augmented equipment demands well trained players. How to ensure that the intermediate players have the required skills to integrate the use of agtech in the farm? This paper will discuss the role of educational and ongoing vocational training for the mastery of agtech. We will start from a comparative review of some key national and European technical reports in the agricultural equipment and innovation domains. On these bases, we will focus on France to describe the role of intermediate players of the agricultural equipment sector to realize their agricultural and digital transitions.

. Alkaline soil additives used in this study, as cement kiln dust and lime mud, resulted in significant rise of the pH in contaminated soil and sludge mixtures, while buffering capacity of the sludge appeared to be much stronger than that of the soil. Total concentrations of the investigated trace elements in the tested samples in most cases were above limit values given in Lithuanian environmental normative documents HN 60:2015 and LAND 20:2005; Cd, Zn and Pb concentrations exceeding MPCs by 2-10 times. Nickel, cadmium and copper in the sludge appeared to be the most mobile elements, their EDTA-extractable fraction reaching 30-50% from the total. The tested industrial by-products in most cases significantly reduced trace element mobility. Immobilizing effect in the contaminated soil was from low to moderate, while impact on the reduction of Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, As, Se, Hg mobility in the sludge was much stronger. Alkaline treatment was not so effective to reduce mobility of Cu and As in the soil, but immobilising effect of lime mud on these elements in the sludge was significant. A multivariate data analysis model with two principle components explained 94% of the data variation. The most distinctive factor, separating samples, was the origin of the two tested metal-rich substrates: contaminated soil and sewage sludge. Contaminated soil could be distinguished by high concentrations of As, Tl, Hg and Pb. Both alkaline treatments on sewage sludge were more effective, thus scores are further from the origin, although, difference between kiln dust and lime mud immobilising effectiveness was not so significant. Application of alkaline amendments: cement kiln dust and lime mud, proved to have strong immobilizing effect on the most of the investigated trace elements, and usage of local by-products for contaminated soil (sludge) remediation purposes could be seen as an environmentally friendly, cost-effective and safe disposal alternative.

Heavy metal extraction study was performed using five chelating agents with different biodegradability: EDTA, EDDS, MGDA, SCLC and citric acid. Aminopolycarboxylic acids EDDS and MGDA showed high heavy metal extraction capability from sewage sludge and sludge-soil mixtures. According to heavy metal removal efficiency investigated chelants can be ranked in the following order: EDTA≈ EDDS≈ MGDA> CA> SCLC. Extraction efficiency from sludge mixtures with clay soil was markedly lower than from the mixtures with sandy soil. Biodegradability of EDTA, MGDA, EDDS and CA was evaluated measuring BOD in water environment over 28 day period. According to the results of biodegradability test after 28 days the ranking order of the chelants was following: EDDS (99%)> CA (32.4%)> MGDA (29.2%)> EDTA (14.9%). Results showed that significantly easier than EDTA biodegradable chelating agents, such as EDDS and MGDA, can be successfully used for heavy metal removal from sewage sludge as well as metal-contaminated soil.