SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRUCTURE CONSOLIDATION OF RURAL AREAS

Abstract

Rural Romania and the agricultural sector development had recorded notable progress as direct results of previous rural development programs’ implementation, programs financed from both Europeans and national sources. Challenges are still to be tackled in the following financing periods as increased numbers of small scale farms, low level of technological upscale in the agricultural sector, rural degradation, farmers and rural population aging, undersupply of qualified workforce, environmental aspects that threat productivity, insufficient infrastructural development, low access at essential services and reduced number of value added products. In this specific context, in order to reach the highest economic and social rural potential and in particularly, the rural agro-food sector, it is essential that up-until-now efforts to be continued and improved. Have the key priorities been fulfilled for the National Rural Development Programme 2014- 2020? Have the key performance indicators been successfully implemented? What are the priorities with the largest-lowest accomplishment rate? These aspects do represent the scope of the article and additionally, there will be highlighted the necessary actions in order to consolidate the socio-economic structure of the rural areas.