Post on 12-Jan-2016
Vanda Maráková
Matej Bel University
Slovakia
What is the picture
of rural areas in Slovakia?
Rural areas are considered according to NUTS - Nomenclature des Unites Territorial Statistique) settlements with density lower than 150 inhabitants/km2
in SR 89% of all communities are rural settlements Approximately 40 % of inhabitants lives in rural
communities Rural Areas create 86% of total area of the country
Determination of rural areas in SR
SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas
Strenghts:
- tradition of agriculture and forestry
- available natural potential
- available fixed assets
(buildings)
- developed educational network
(elementary schools and high
schools)
- active microregions
SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas
Weaknesses:
- lack of investment in agriculture
- shortness of work opportunities
- insufficient technical and
communication infrastructure
- high precentage of land which is
endangered by erosion
- sick forest due to the polution
SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas
Opportunities :
- diversification of economic base
- support of rural tourism and agrotourism
- utilisation of alternative resources
- development of organic farming
- activation of local people and their
ivolvement in decesicion making process
SWOT analysis of slovak rural areas
Threats: - centralization focused on Bratislava and
other regional centers - slow tempo of modernization and inovation - declining purchasing power of inhabitants - high percentage of senior population - changes in climate (flood, storms, dryness, fires,...) - non-complex development projects
Example of development of village Bešeňová,RK:
Utilization of potential of thermal water
Development of thermal pool andgreenhouses
Development of bed and breakfasts, hotels
new footbal playground
Young people living in rural areas
Youth (15-26 years old) Labour market:
- differences between employment
possibilities in the cities and outside of them
- regional differences
low number of opportunities in which young people can use their potential
Young people living in rural areas
Business opportunities:
- timber production and processing
- agricultural activities
- tourist trade (tourism, agrotourism)
- crafts
Young people living in rural areas
Unsuitable technical infrastructure
- worse conditions for development of
rural areas economy
migration of young people into the urban centres
Young people living in rural areas
Education :
- municipalities provide elementary education
- young people usualy acquire upper secondary
school and university education in neighbouring
cities
Young people living in rural areas
Quality of Education :
- small classes-close contact of teacher and
students
- lack of financial resources- (equipment of
establishments, teaching tools etc.)
- lack of quality pedagogues
Matej Bel University
6 faculties
Matej Bel University
Faculty of Economics (http://www.econ.umb.sk/ef/efcd/index.htm)
- 1977 introduced specialization in Tourism (30 years) - at present time faculty has 4000 students in 5 fields of study:
tourism corporate economics and management finance, banking and investment regional development and public administration public economics and services
Faculty of Economics
Department of tourism
-cooperation in the issue of rural development and rural tourism with Univerzity in Zvolen (National forestry center), cooperation with VOKA anad VIPA(training programs and teaching materials), VYDRA (Forest museum), ZVTA (National association of rural tourism and agrotourism), Slovak Forest (Lesy SR), international cooperation with partners from Flanders (region Orava, Horna Nitra), L&R Consulting UK (Horehronie), Carefour (N. Ireland),
EQUAL (Tatranska Kotlina)