Rural Communities Must Adjust to Changing Times

Important findings of a Rural Resource Study focussed on Co. Galway but with nationwide implications for the future of small rural communities were revealed at the Teagasc Rural Development Centre in Athenry today (Monday, April 4, 2005). Spearheaded by Teagasc with the backing of Galway Rural Development, Galway County Council, Udaras na Gaeltachta and the partnership group, Cumas, the study was endorsed by Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O’Cuiv. In a new development, five distinct types of rural households formed the basis of the study, which involved five different types of rural area. John Whiriskey, Programme Manager, Rural Development, Teagasc said that the study “will be used to give further relevance to the programmes carried out by state-supported agencies throughout the country”. He said, “significantly, the economics of rural communities are becoming weaker and agriculture is no longer the answer to the decline of rural communities. The challenge now facing rural communities is adjusting to changing times”.

In order to survive into the future, more local employment is crucially important to maintain an active workforce of younger people in small communities. Development policies centred on jobs in urban hubs imply commuting, but this approach has a tendency to create rural dormitories, which are unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term. According to Teagasc, there is a need to develop policies, which provide incentives for the development of indigenous enterprise and entrepreneurship. Such policies would complement the macro-economic development model, which promotes larger scale enterprise, mainly urban based. In many rural communities there are local agencies and voluntary groups, which could be encouraged to participate in the creation of local enterprise, given suitable intervention measures. Activists involved in sustainable local development must facilitate and co-ordinate locally led initiatives with state agency support and financial incentives.

The five areas studied in Co. Galway were the peri-urban Clarinbridge, remote Gorumna in Connemara, the good farmland area of Lawrencetown near Ballinasloe, the typical farming area of Glinsk in North Galway and the forestry dense Woodford. The study was initiated because of the need for farm households to explore new income sources to remain viable. It is evident from the findings that the importance of farming in most rural areas has declined. Speaking at the launch, John Whiriskey said “it is clear that policies anchored mainly on CAP are too narrow and inadequate to stimulate and support rural development across a wide range of communities”.

The broader problems of non-farming households in small rural communities also required analysis and an action plan by other agencies involved with rural development. The study shows that distinctive types of rural area are now emerging where communities closer to urban centres have increased populations while remote areas have declined. A major conclusion is that while the economies of many rural areas are weakening there is for the most part a strong community dimension in rural life. The challenge must be to embrace and preserve these local rural communities.

In most rural areas farm households represent about half of all households. It is much more usual for a farmer and/or spouse to have an off-farm job or other income such as a pension. The study also shows that commuting 30 miles or more to work from rural areas is predominantly by private car. Although this is accepted as “a fact of life”, some concern for its long-term sustainability was expressed.

In occupational terms there is a tendency toward a bi-polar structure in most communities in that most employees are engaged in either professional/managerial positions or in relatively unskilled jobs. Imbalance in the demographic structure was found to be a feature of many rural areas such as ageing populations with low levels of skills. For instance in all areas, except Clarinbridge close to Galway city, between a quarter and one third of households are either elderly living alone or are retired. Clearly, communities not able to retain an active younger population structure will have difficulties in surviving as viable places to live, which in turn has implications for rural policy and the agencies involved.

On a positive note all the rural communities studied displayed a strong community attachment. Many of the communities have largely indigenous populations and value highly the sense of neighbourhood and friends. Most feel secure in their homes and communities, free from violence and crime. The most common type of informal social contact is visiting friends or neighbours or having them visit.

In promoting rural development, it is clear that a balance between economic criteria and community must be established to ensure effective community development in the future.

Ends

Issued by Larry O’Loughlin

A/Head Public Relations Dept., Teagasc

Tel: 059-9183408; 087-2562434; Email: loloughlin@hq.teagasc.ie