scholarly journals Irish rural social enterprises and the national policy framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-37
Author(s):  
Lucas Olmedo ◽  
Mara van Twuijver ◽  
Mary O’Shaughnessy ◽  
Alan Sloane

Abstract There is a growing recognition of the role that social enterprises play in rural areas. In Ireland this is formally acknowledged in recent social enterprises and rural development policies which commit to developing a suite of supports to realise the potential of social enterprises and strengthen their contribution to place-based sustainable rural development. However, these policies offer a generalised approach to social enterprises, compounded to date by the considerable gaps in our knowledge of these organisations. The main purpose of this article is to fill a gap in our understanding of Irish rural social enterprises. Using Defourny & Nyssens’ meso-level framework (2017), this paper presents an analysis of surveys completed by 258 Irish rural social enterprises. Our findings illustrate five clusters which represent different types of Irish rural social enterprises. The findings confirm the validity of applying a meso-level approach for capturing in-country heterogeneity within the social enterprise sector and for informing policy supports for these significant actors in place-based sustainable rural development.

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello De Rosa ◽  
Gerard McElwee

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to provide an analysis of the adoption of Rural Development Policies (Rdp) as the result of entrepreneurial behaviours carried out by family farms with a focus on the Lazio Region of Italy. Family farming is the backbone of the European model of agriculture. Rdp provide family farms with a set of opportunities which, if well exploited, could drum up farm’s development. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical analysis of a data base provided by the Lazion region of Italy on the adoption of Rdp by family farms in the Lazio region for the period of 2007-2013. Cluster analysis is the main analytical tool used. Findings – The results evidence significant differences in the adoption of rural policy on the basis of family life cycle and the composition of the family farm. The empirical analysis underlines the low degree of coherence by farms located in rural areas. Practical implications – Farmers’ success in accessing funds requires them to be proactive and take a strategic perspective to convince funders that they have a coherent strategy which meets the requirements of the particular Rdp which they are trying to access. Social implications – In terms of policy, a more nuanced understanding of the entrepreneurial nature of some practices in a rural setting and how they require multi-agency investigation. Originality/value – The paper is unique, in that it considers the consumption of policy by farmers who are entrepreneurial in their vision. By consumption of Rdp, we mean the farmer’s strategic capability to obtain funds from regional funding pots for rural development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-91
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy

In Vietnam, rural area is a region for living and working of a rural resident community, including mainly farmers. It is a region of agricultural production (by the general meaning). Besides, there are manufacturing activities and service, but priority is given to agriculture and rural community. Meanwhile, the rural density is lower than urban density. Vietnam introduced its development programme “Building new rural areas”, which program aims at finding a concept of sustainable development in rural areas in order to emerge the role of sustainable development toward the National direction for local strategies and to ensure sustainable rural development. This paper is a work at the scope of reviews and literature available worldwide in development policies and programmes on sustainable rural development. It compares the dimensions of these policies and programmes on the basis of definitions, methodology and practical framework applied in order to identify a promotion for building new rural areas in disciplines, and especially supply a background for data analyses of the Vietnamese case in the National Target Programme “Building new rural areas during the period 2011-2015”.


2018 ◽  
pp. 91-100
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Szymańska

The model of sustainable rural development recognises the necessity of local development based on local resources. Investing in the growth of social capital refers to the postulates of implementing an integrated model of rural development, where different local actors engage and cooperate for the common good. Agricultural law also faces these challenges. The social capital of rural areas is characterised by bottom-up activities, locality and territoriality of initiatives, an integrated approach, a partnership action through local action groups, innovation in problem solving, independent management and financing of activities. It encourages local communities to work together to change their surroundings, solve urgent problems, invest in activities diversifying their income, for example through small entrepreneurship, setting up non-agricultural activities, thematic villages, care farms, production of traditional, regional and ecological high quality products, folk handicrafts, crafts.


Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Francisco Rangel-Preciado ◽  
Francisco M. Parejo-Moruno ◽  
Esteban Cruz-Hidalgo ◽  
Francisco J. Castellano-Álvarez

The strategy of the institutionalization and development of business agglomerations, in any of its analytical aspects (industrial district, local production system, cluster, etc.), has not had great results in Spanish regions with low business-density, probably due to the difficulty of finding an adequate implementation framework in administrative, geographic, and institutional terms. Based on the limitations presented by the identification methodologies of business agglomerations in low business-density territories, in this work we propose some methodological corrections that allow for reconciling these economic realities with the institutional and geographical framework offered by the local action groups (LAGs). This reconciliation is a useful tool to take advantage of the economies of agglomeration and, consequently, to explore the possibilities of endogenous development in rural areas, so that it can be a factor to take into account when planning and executing the public strategy of local and rural development. Finally, the results obtained for the specific case of Extremadura, the only Spanish region listed as a less developed one in European rural development policies, are presented.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 15-21
Author(s):  
Miklós Pakurár ◽  
Judit Oláh ◽  
András Nábrádi

New Sources of Employment to Promote the Wealth-Generating Capacity of Rural Communities (acronym: RuralJobs) is a collaborative research project partly funded under the European Commission Research and Development 7th Framework Program. The Rural Jobs consortium consists of partners drawn from eight European Union (EU) countries (Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Spain and UK). The project began on February 2008 and finished in October 2010. RuralJobs quantified labour market, demographic and economic trends, and the impact of employment creation measures and policies in seven, representative “reference areas” across the EU, and used the information to demonstrate how rural development measures can be better targeted and how rural development policies should evolve.We identified labour market, demographic and economic trends in rural areas across EU-27 and the potential for newsources of employment outside traditional primary and secondary sector activities, and examined the interaction between different types of rural area (peri-urban, remote, high environmental/amenity value etc.). We identified employment growth areas where rural development programmes can be targeted to increase their contribution to employment creation. Our strategic objectives were the following: review of employment policies and programmes, scenarios for new sources of employment according to rural typologies, recommendations for better targeting of strategies, dissemination and mainstreaming. The main outcome expected is that the results will allow a better targeting of rural development measures and future evolution of rural development policies in line with the Lisbon Strategy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasta ◽  
Figueiredo ◽  
Valente ◽  
Vihinen ◽  
Nieto-Romero

In recent decades, European rural development policies have transitioned toward a more place-based approach. This claim rests on the assumption that the diversity of resources within rural areas can be a potential source for place-shaping practices and sustainability. Moreover, this shift away from a top-down sectorial toward a more territorial focus has also shed light on the importance of agency, relations, and how people engage. Many rural areas in Europe, and particularly in Portugal, have seen a withdrawal of focus away from agriculture toward more diversified activities, where place-based approaches can untap local potential, stimulate sustainable place-shaping practices, and create significant well-being. However, some rural communities have difficulties in capitalizing on them due to unfavorable demographics such as depopulation and aging, a focus on traditional industries, and a lack of technical knowledge. The aim of the article is to discuss the role of place-based policies for enabling place-shaping practices revolving around traditional resources in rural areas and their contribution to sustainability. The study briefly highlights the recent debate around European rural development policies and illustrates their implementation through place-shaping practices via a case study in a Portuguese rural village—Várzea de Calde. The village revalorized itself and is trying to tackle marginalization processes through its traditional linen, which is a local material and immaterial resource, via collective agency and a strong sense of identity. The case study will provide empirical insights in discussing the effects of sustainable place-shaping practices stimulating by place-based policy instruments. Our conclusions highlight the positive contributions toward sustainability through improvements in social (e.g., identity) and economic well-being.


1972 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn M. Daft

My assignment is to suggest a policy framework for the pursuit of rural community development objectives. I propose to do this in three steps: First, I will describe some major elements of existing policy. As an outgrowth of my interpretation of the' performance of this policy, I will then explore an alternative approach to formulation of the rural development issue. Finally, I will outline a policy framework consistent with this approach.


10.1068/a3427 ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 809-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Marsden ◽  
Jo Banks ◽  
Gillian Bristow

There is a growing realisation that agriculture is a central mechanism for delivering sustainable rural development in Europe. However, agro-industrial and postproductivist logics and dynamics have largely tended to marginalise its significance. In this paper we explore some of the conceptual parameters needed to develop the rural development dynamic. This is one which recentralises agriculture and farm-based activities and provides a basis for countering the growing crisis in rural and agricultural policymaking. In order to further embed the rural development dynamic, however, new alliances need to be attached to the struggles that are currently underway in rural areas. This will involve the state and social scientists playing a greater constructive role in developing the social infrastructure around which current exemplars of agrarian-based rural development can become more mainstream.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document