Farmers, Businessmen or Green Entrepreneurs? Producers of New Rural Goods and Services in Rural Areas Under Urban Pressure

Abstract

In this paper, the discourses on multifunctional agriculture, the consumption countryside and environmental drivers vis-à-vis rural production have been tested against the material gathered in the RURBAN project comparing five European countries. It is concluded that all three discourses have a bearing on production of new rural goods and services (RGS), although there are considerable variations between different countries. For instance, specific national factors such as nature and the regulation system seem to form RGS production and the new rural economy in significant ways. Also urban pressure acts as an important intertwining variable. The linkage between environment and RGS production becomes enhanced if green ‘life-style entrepreneurs’ are taken into consideration.

Keywords:

• Rural goods and services
• producers
• multifunctional agriculture
• consumption countryside
• green entrepreneurs
• urban pressure

Notes