Rural development:

Society and economy

Studies of the sustainable development of society include such issues as the interrelationship between town and countryside, and how rural areas can be developed.

SLU research can increase our awareness of new ways of using the biological resources in rural areas, and how to create more employment opportunities. The initiatives must come from the rural population, and this applies to both Sweden and developing countries. Links between agriculture, society and nature, and relations between participants at all levels are central.

An awareness of the historical development of agriculture, forestry, gardening, parks and landscapes is important in understanding and solving today’s problems.

Successful rural development includes being economical with the resources available, both for an individual company and in a wider context. It is a question of using without abusing, and creating new opportunities for development. The marketing of the raw materials and products from fields, barns, greenhouses and forests is the subject of a number of studies. In addition, the Swedish agricultural policy and the methods of working in the processing industries are studied in detail.