Nievre and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence : difficulties and promises of employment development in French rural areas
Topics
Governance capacity
Abstract
This paper relates some of the outcomes of an European study conducted within the Ruremplo project. This project analysed the employment dynamics en EU rural regions through 18 case studies picked up in 9 EU members states.
The regions were separated in two groups: “leading” ones and lagging” ones, defined on criteria of non-agricultural employment in rural areas.
This paper focuses on conclusions for 2 French “départements” located in the Alps (Alpes de Hautes-Provence) and the Massif Central (la Nièvre) It especially focuses on the influence of actors strategies on the employment development.
The authors mentioned a global employment increase in services while employment is declining in agriculture between 1980 and 1995. Nevertheless the underlined the importance of qualitative and extensive agriculture (landscapes and cultural identity).
The lack or the inadequacy of qualifications for the proposed jobs in rural areas is a major handicap for the attractiveness of these areas.
Governmental and local action have to associated and employment policies more have to take into consideration local demand.
The ability of local stakeholders to foster local employment and thus to improve local development, depends on the size and the strength of internal and external social networks of each stakeholder.
