Abstract Methods for assessing regional food self-sufficiency are poorly developed worldwide, while knowledge of the characteristics of regional food self-sufficiency could help in designing more sustainable and resilient regional food systems. This paper addresses the challenge of defining and assessing food self-sufficiency at different geographical levels and provides a detailed presentation of the method for assessing the regional plant-based food self-sufficiency rate using publicly available data from administrative sources, taking the Slovenian development regions as an example. The results indicate the need to improve the reliability of the data used to identify the characteristics of regional food self-sufficiency and to a more effective coordination between existing agricultural databases.
{"title":"Challenges in Assessing the Level of Plant-Based Food Self-Sufficiency Using Publicly Available Data in the Regional Context of Slovenia","authors":"Ana Trobec","doi":"10.2478/euco-2022-0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2022-0006","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Methods for assessing regional food self-sufficiency are poorly developed worldwide, while knowledge of the characteristics of regional food self-sufficiency could help in designing more sustainable and resilient regional food systems. This paper addresses the challenge of defining and assessing food self-sufficiency at different geographical levels and provides a detailed presentation of the method for assessing the regional plant-based food self-sufficiency rate using publicly available data from administrative sources, taking the Slovenian development regions as an example. The results indicate the need to improve the reliability of the data used to identify the characteristics of regional food self-sufficiency and to a more effective coordination between existing agricultural databases.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45910089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The last thirty years have radically changed the nature of local resource management in rural communities throughout Poland (as well as in some other Central and Eastern European countries). New metamorphosis, policy, and funding mechanisms related to Poland’s political transformation and accession to the European Union have radically changed the character of institutions and tools available in rural development. Local communities have evolved along with improved education levels, decline in agricultural employment rates, and increased migrations to cities and Western Europe. This article presents the social conditions for the good governance processes in a selected region of Poland. Based on their extended quantitative and qualitative research, the authors discuss a number of phenomena such as the low effectiveness of collective actions, dense networks of informal relations, and the lack of trust in public service institutions despite the deregulation of certain powers. The ethnographic study reveals that while their overall picture may seem quite uniform, local rural communities in Poland tend to differ depending on the economic structure, history, and cultural identity of their inhabitants. Finally, the article analyses difficulties in the implementation of the good governance mechanisms within the country’s local rural communities.
{"title":"Local Horizons of Governance. Social Conditions for Good Governance in Rural Development in Poland","authors":"Wojciech Knieć, W. Goszczyński","doi":"10.2478/euco-2022-0002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2022-0002","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The last thirty years have radically changed the nature of local resource management in rural communities throughout Poland (as well as in some other Central and Eastern European countries). New metamorphosis, policy, and funding mechanisms related to Poland’s political transformation and accession to the European Union have radically changed the character of institutions and tools available in rural development. Local communities have evolved along with improved education levels, decline in agricultural employment rates, and increased migrations to cities and Western Europe. This article presents the social conditions for the good governance processes in a selected region of Poland. Based on their extended quantitative and qualitative research, the authors discuss a number of phenomena such as the low effectiveness of collective actions, dense networks of informal relations, and the lack of trust in public service institutions despite the deregulation of certain powers. The ethnographic study reveals that while their overall picture may seem quite uniform, local rural communities in Poland tend to differ depending on the economic structure, history, and cultural identity of their inhabitants. Finally, the article analyses difficulties in the implementation of the good governance mechanisms within the country’s local rural communities.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45258745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The paper focuses on the local delivery process of the LEADER programme over two programming periods (2007–2013 and 2014–2020). We tried to find out whether the LEADER method and projects implemented have contributed to the empowerment of the Brkini region (Slovenia), which has characteristics of a lagging and structurally weak region influenced by peripheralization processes. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of LEADER projects underlined that the Brkini region was quite successful in integrating different actors and sectors in joint projects and establishing cooperation between stakeholders. Cooperation is reflected in (1) partnerships and networking between existing and new actors and stakeholders, (2) LEADER funds being mostly used for “smaller projects” and networking within the region, (3) the synergies between LEADER and existing local aspirations as it supports several areas of the multi-sectoral approach (i.e., tourism promotion, agricultural production and processing), (4) enhanced recognisability and promotion of the Brkini region at sub-regional, regional, national and cross-border levels. In the context of empowerment, we were able to identify some incentives, but also some bottlenecks (local clubs/societies/associations lack institutional, administrative and financial capacity, etc.). Decision-makers should pay special attention to this and also promote a culture of reflexivity when preparing new animation strategies for the next programming period.
{"title":"The Contribution of Leader to the Empowerment of Rural Areas: The Case of the Brkini Region, Slovenia","authors":"Irma Potočnik Slavič","doi":"10.2478/euco-2022-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2022-0001","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The paper focuses on the local delivery process of the LEADER programme over two programming periods (2007–2013 and 2014–2020). We tried to find out whether the LEADER method and projects implemented have contributed to the empowerment of the Brkini region (Slovenia), which has characteristics of a lagging and structurally weak region influenced by peripheralization processes. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of LEADER projects underlined that the Brkini region was quite successful in integrating different actors and sectors in joint projects and establishing cooperation between stakeholders. Cooperation is reflected in (1) partnerships and networking between existing and new actors and stakeholders, (2) LEADER funds being mostly used for “smaller projects” and networking within the region, (3) the synergies between LEADER and existing local aspirations as it supports several areas of the multi-sectoral approach (i.e., tourism promotion, agricultural production and processing), (4) enhanced recognisability and promotion of the Brkini region at sub-regional, regional, national and cross-border levels. In the context of empowerment, we were able to identify some incentives, but also some bottlenecks (local clubs/societies/associations lack institutional, administrative and financial capacity, etc.). Decision-makers should pay special attention to this and also promote a culture of reflexivity when preparing new animation strategies for the next programming period.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47462501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract This article focuses on the community acceptance of wind parks in a rural territory in western France, in a country where they are not much developed yet. We hypothetise that their set-up stems from a specific pattern, embedded in the territorial rural context of the case study. Semi-structured interviews with 30 actors aimed to analyse this citizen-led project, in line with their representations of this territory and its sustainable development. Results show that citizen-led investment is not a prerequisite for community acceptance in this case. The sense of a rural place that is fit for technologies kept up to date by the green industry, and the fairness of the process, are the strongest drivers for acceptance of wind energy, in general, in this case. Subsequently, the confidence obtained from previous fundraising actions can foster new participatory wind projects. An early communication with inhabitants, and a construction fit for a rural development that makes sense to the locals can bring an essential sense of trust for energy projects within the community. However, given the different definitions, it seems also critical to assess their true community dimension in order not to jeopardise the sense of fairness if the outcomes are not largely shared.
{"title":"Community Acceptance of Wind Energy: Lessons from a Case Study on a Local Participatory Project in Pays Des Mauges (West France)","authors":"G. Pierre, C. Mazaud","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0038","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article focuses on the community acceptance of wind parks in a rural territory in western France, in a country where they are not much developed yet. We hypothetise that their set-up stems from a specific pattern, embedded in the territorial rural context of the case study. Semi-structured interviews with 30 actors aimed to analyse this citizen-led project, in line with their representations of this territory and its sustainable development. Results show that citizen-led investment is not a prerequisite for community acceptance in this case. The sense of a rural place that is fit for technologies kept up to date by the green industry, and the fairness of the process, are the strongest drivers for acceptance of wind energy, in general, in this case. Subsequently, the confidence obtained from previous fundraising actions can foster new participatory wind projects. An early communication with inhabitants, and a construction fit for a rural development that makes sense to the locals can bring an essential sense of trust for energy projects within the community. However, given the different definitions, it seems also critical to assess their true community dimension in order not to jeopardise the sense of fairness if the outcomes are not largely shared.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46533607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists’ loyalty is more pronounced than ever. It is therefore inevitable to know what factors can contribute to the higher levels of loyalty among potential visitors. Since none of the previously researched factors are reflecting visitors’ feelings and emotions, and because wine tourism can build long-lasting emotional ties with tourists, this study focuses on Moravian wine region visitors’ happiness within the context of loyalty. Overall, seven loyalty factors influence the happiness indicators: quality of wine, relaxation, information about wine, natural attractions, friendly acceptance by the locals, wine culture and traditions, as well as vineyard excursions. Furthermore, this study also confirms the dependence the happiness perception has on visitors’ characteristics, such as gender, income, or with whom they visited the destination. The results of the study can be used to restart and support the development of sustainable tourism in the regions.
{"title":"Visitors’ Happiness and Loyalty in the Moravian Wine Region","authors":"Andrea Králiková, Patrik Kubát, K. Ryglová","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0040","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists’ loyalty is more pronounced than ever. It is therefore inevitable to know what factors can contribute to the higher levels of loyalty among potential visitors. Since none of the previously researched factors are reflecting visitors’ feelings and emotions, and because wine tourism can build long-lasting emotional ties with tourists, this study focuses on Moravian wine region visitors’ happiness within the context of loyalty. Overall, seven loyalty factors influence the happiness indicators: quality of wine, relaxation, information about wine, natural attractions, friendly acceptance by the locals, wine culture and traditions, as well as vineyard excursions. Furthermore, this study also confirms the dependence the happiness perception has on visitors’ characteristics, such as gender, income, or with whom they visited the destination. The results of the study can be used to restart and support the development of sustainable tourism in the regions.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47869607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dalia Vidickienė, Živilė Gedminaitė-Raudonė, Rita Vilkė, P. Chmieliński, A. Zobena
Abstract This article aims to fill the cognitive gap by providing evidence for different barriers hampering the innovative activity in ecotourism which concerns the promotion of the so-called transformative tourism concept. The research is devoted to identifying what are the most important barriers in the two areas: i) policy and regulation; ii) regional economic development. The observed absence of appropriate representative data for defining the state of the art in the field of transformative ecotourism as a new phenomenon is evident; therefore, it is suggested to use an expert survey for barriers identification in the field. The expert survey was done in the four post-socialist Baltic Sea countries/regions: Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the St. Petersburg region (Russia) in autumn 2020. Research results disclose the existing similarities among barriers in researched regions and highlight the key areas for improvement in policy and regulation and economy-related fields, aiming to create a more favorable environment for promoting transformative ecotourism as prosperous innovation of future tourism.
{"title":"Barriers to Start and Develop Transformative Ecotourism Business","authors":"Dalia Vidickienė, Živilė Gedminaitė-Raudonė, Rita Vilkė, P. Chmieliński, A. Zobena","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0039","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article aims to fill the cognitive gap by providing evidence for different barriers hampering the innovative activity in ecotourism which concerns the promotion of the so-called transformative tourism concept. The research is devoted to identifying what are the most important barriers in the two areas: i) policy and regulation; ii) regional economic development. The observed absence of appropriate representative data for defining the state of the art in the field of transformative ecotourism as a new phenomenon is evident; therefore, it is suggested to use an expert survey for barriers identification in the field. The expert survey was done in the four post-socialist Baltic Sea countries/regions: Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the St. Petersburg region (Russia) in autumn 2020. Research results disclose the existing similarities among barriers in researched regions and highlight the key areas for improvement in policy and regulation and economy-related fields, aiming to create a more favorable environment for promoting transformative ecotourism as prosperous innovation of future tourism.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47195703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The paper summarizes and provides and overview on the economic and social processes influencing and supporting the successful management of settlements, focusing on Hungary. The role of leadership and settlement management is inevitable in the everyday operation as well as in the definition and realization of development concepts and strategies. The basis of stable operation and development is the financial independency and stability, thus we need to call the attention on the importance of economic development functions of settlements as well as on the important role of mayors and leaders in the economic and spatial development. The approaches, the ideas as well as the way how the leaders think are all determining factors in development. Nowadays, settlement development and regional economic development raise such key issues that are also the main research questions in our paper, like „What does a good municipality/a good settlement look like? How can ‘good’ be described?” What are the main characteristics of a suitable leader in the case of settlements? It is known that there are no targeted trainings, courses for mayors/heads of municipalities to prepare them to be good leaders, there are no nationally or internationally acknowledged skills, competences that could be applied to select the most suitable leaders for the positions. Therefore, we believe that we must call the attention to this shortage and motivate the experts in public administration, the researchers and scientists, as well as trainers and coaches to cooperate and work on the solution. In this paper, through the dimension of leadership/management, we intend to discover the characteristics of successful community leaders and to focus on the importance of the activities of ‘local heroes’, who prove to have strong commitment to the development of settlements.
{"title":"Successful Management of Settlements to Boost Rural Development","authors":"T. Tóth, J. Káposzta","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0044","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The paper summarizes and provides and overview on the economic and social processes influencing and supporting the successful management of settlements, focusing on Hungary. The role of leadership and settlement management is inevitable in the everyday operation as well as in the definition and realization of development concepts and strategies. The basis of stable operation and development is the financial independency and stability, thus we need to call the attention on the importance of economic development functions of settlements as well as on the important role of mayors and leaders in the economic and spatial development. The approaches, the ideas as well as the way how the leaders think are all determining factors in development. Nowadays, settlement development and regional economic development raise such key issues that are also the main research questions in our paper, like „What does a good municipality/a good settlement look like? How can ‘good’ be described?” What are the main characteristics of a suitable leader in the case of settlements? It is known that there are no targeted trainings, courses for mayors/heads of municipalities to prepare them to be good leaders, there are no nationally or internationally acknowledged skills, competences that could be applied to select the most suitable leaders for the positions. Therefore, we believe that we must call the attention to this shortage and motivate the experts in public administration, the researchers and scientists, as well as trainers and coaches to cooperate and work on the solution. In this paper, through the dimension of leadership/management, we intend to discover the characteristics of successful community leaders and to focus on the importance of the activities of ‘local heroes’, who prove to have strong commitment to the development of settlements.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47172145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Agricultural insurance is one of the management risk tools. This research aimed to analyze the factors affecting food crop farmers’ agricultural insurance in the Altınekin District of Konya Province. To obtain data using a questionnaire by interviewing 66 food crop farms entreprises who did agricultural insurance in the previous year. The population sampling was calculated with a single-stage non-clustered probability sampling. Factors affecting farmers’ agricultural insurance were analyzed by Binary Logistic Regression. The results of the analysis of factors affecting farmers’ willingness to take out agricultural insurance were farmers age, education, land size, sources from which they receive information on agricultural insurance, and the amount of support paid by the state, the amount of debt, pure product and agricultural income. The sources from which they received information on agricultural insurance had negative effect. The other factors have a positive effect. Providing education and advertising about agricultural insurance to farmers can increase the willingness of farmers to take out agricultural insurance. Support in the form of assistance on agricultural insurance of the government is also needed.
{"title":"The Analysis of Factors Affecting Farmers to Take Out Agricultural Insurance: A Case Study of Altinekin District, Konya Province of Turkey","authors":"C. Oguz, Siti Mustaqimatud Diyanah","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0043","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Agricultural insurance is one of the management risk tools. This research aimed to analyze the factors affecting food crop farmers’ agricultural insurance in the Altınekin District of Konya Province. To obtain data using a questionnaire by interviewing 66 food crop farms entreprises who did agricultural insurance in the previous year. The population sampling was calculated with a single-stage non-clustered probability sampling. Factors affecting farmers’ agricultural insurance were analyzed by Binary Logistic Regression. The results of the analysis of factors affecting farmers’ willingness to take out agricultural insurance were farmers age, education, land size, sources from which they receive information on agricultural insurance, and the amount of support paid by the state, the amount of debt, pure product and agricultural income. The sources from which they received information on agricultural insurance had negative effect. The other factors have a positive effect. Providing education and advertising about agricultural insurance to farmers can increase the willingness of farmers to take out agricultural insurance. Support in the form of assistance on agricultural insurance of the government is also needed.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41591412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Ramanauskas, Milita Vienažindienė, J. Rauluškevičienė, J. Žukovskis
Abstract Sustainable agriculture and active collaboration between farmers are important concepts that have a significant impact on the development of sustainable agriculture, in striving for social and economic development, as well as supporting the reduction of impact to environment. Based on a systematic and comparative analysis, this study highlights the role of collaboration towards developing sustainable agriculture. The overall results imply that more active farmers collaboration requires more active sharing of experience, knowledge and information through meetings or seminars by creating an information portal or platform. These measures could lead to more qualitative communication, more open information sharing, mutual trust and risk reduction, which would ensure the development of sustainable agriculture.
{"title":"Collaboration Perspectives Developing Sustainable Agriculture: The Case of Lithuanian Farmers","authors":"J. Ramanauskas, Milita Vienažindienė, J. Rauluškevičienė, J. Žukovskis","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0037","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Sustainable agriculture and active collaboration between farmers are important concepts that have a significant impact on the development of sustainable agriculture, in striving for social and economic development, as well as supporting the reduction of impact to environment. Based on a systematic and comparative analysis, this study highlights the role of collaboration towards developing sustainable agriculture. The overall results imply that more active farmers collaboration requires more active sharing of experience, knowledge and information through meetings or seminars by creating an information portal or platform. These measures could lead to more qualitative communication, more open information sharing, mutual trust and risk reduction, which would ensure the development of sustainable agriculture.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48244421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. J. González, Jesús Antonio Ruiz Herrero, Ricardo Jiménez Aboitiz
Abstract This study explores aspects which influence whether young people decide to remain in a rural area or move away. Based on a qualitative analysis of 41 open-ended interviews with young people from a rural area of inland Spain, it especially examines the perception they hold of the opportunities provided by their rural environment for labour market integration. The results show that: 1) agriculture, the economic base of the area, is not perceived as a means of social and labour market integration; 2) a high degree of mobility between the village and the city is a necessary condition for young people to remain in a rural area; 3) promoting the natural and cultural resources of an area strengthens the feeling of belonging and identity.
{"title":"Residential Aspirations and Perception of Rural Youth of the Opportunities Offered By their Environment: the Case of a Spanish Inland Rural Area","authors":"J. J. González, Jesús Antonio Ruiz Herrero, Ricardo Jiménez Aboitiz","doi":"10.2478/euco-2021-0042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0042","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study explores aspects which influence whether young people decide to remain in a rural area or move away. Based on a qualitative analysis of 41 open-ended interviews with young people from a rural area of inland Spain, it especially examines the perception they hold of the opportunities provided by their rural environment for labour market integration. The results show that: 1) agriculture, the economic base of the area, is not perceived as a means of social and labour market integration; 2) a high degree of mobility between the village and the city is a necessary condition for young people to remain in a rural area; 3) promoting the natural and cultural resources of an area strengthens the feeling of belonging and identity.","PeriodicalId":45589,"journal":{"name":"European Countryside","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45466066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}