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FB34: Pluriactivity and Rural Development - Theoretical Framework |
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The aim of this collection of papers of the "Research
Programme on Farm Structures and Pluriactivity - Rural Change in
Europe" in this reader is to give a comprehensive survey on essential
analytical papers and of the different stages of the project. The major
objective of this international research programme was to provide an
assessment of the structural changes and of agrarian structural policy.
The study carried out in 24 study areas in Western Europe considered
the regional contexts crucial to the development chances respectively
difficulties for farm households. In most European areas pluriactivity
is the dominant feature of farm households and this stresses the
importance of linkages to non-agricultural sectors.
Main issues and results covered by the papers are:
- Pluriactivity is a long-established phenomenon and not just the
stage before withdrawing from agriculture. A large part of farm
households have other gainful activities.
- Income from non-farming sources can be found throughout the
farm size spectrum, though in proportional terms it appears to be more
frequent among the smallest farms.
- Income levels are varying to a large extent. A rather clear
notion of farm income, off-farm income and other income sources is
needed to provide insights on the households'
- In order to study recent changes and development patterns a
disaggregation of farm households into sub-groups which take into
account not only the characteristics of the households themselves but
also the economic environment is needed to provide sensible statements
on different development paths.
The series of surveys that have been carried out in the research
programme and a description on the methodological basis is given in the
first chapter. International results have been published in three
reports to the EC-Commission, and for the Austrian study areas in two
specific reports:
Dax/Niessler/Vitzthum: Bäuerliche Welt im Umbruch
(research
report No. 32 of the Federal Institute for Less-favoured and
Mountainous Areas, Vienna 1993) dealing with qualitative aspects and
household strategies, and
Dax/Loibl/Oedl-Wieser: Pluriactivity and Farm Structures
(research
report No. 33 of the Federal Institute for Less-favoured and
Mountainous Areas, Vienna 1995) summarising the empirical results of
the two Austrian and comparing them with the other European study areas.
The
reader publishes the edited original papers in English with a German
abstract summarising the contents and core statements of each paper.
Thomas Dax, Elisabeth, Loibl, Theresia Oedl-Wieser
Forschungsbericht Nr. 34 der Bundesanstalt für Bergbauernfragen, Wien 1995.
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