Agriculture and farming related activities: their actors and position in the LEADER approach

• Published in: Agricultural economics (Praha) 2008-01, Vol.54 (6), p.245-262
• Main Authors: Lošťák, M., Hudečková, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural economics; Agricultural policy; Agriculture; Common Agricultural Policy; farmers; Farming; farming related activities; leader; Quality of life; Rural areas; Rural development; rural development projects
• ISSN: 0139-570X; 1805-9295
• DOI: 10.17221/280-AGRICECON

The paper aims to fill in the gap existing in the Czech Republic as for the research about the nature and impacts of the LEADER approach. The focus of the paper is to show how farming and agriculture related activities are addressed under the LEADER scheme in the European context and how does the LEADER influence the position of farming and related industries in rural development. Such outline is considered as the starting point for in-depth research in the LEADER in Czechia. To achieve such goal, the paper analyses the reports about the corresponding projects published in the Leader+ Magazine (edited by Leader+ Observatory). The analysis documents that LEADER supports collaborative actions. It is obvious that the farmers mostly participate in projects aiming at adding value to local product but they are not too active in improvement of the quality of life in rural areas. It opens the room for non-farming actors for their higher participation in rural development and thus it supports the reformulation of Common Agricultural Policy.