Sustainable and
Democratic Rural
Development in the
Slovak Republic
Veronika Chobotova
PhD project proposal
Objectives:
• to study innovations encouraging a sustainable
rural development (sustainable tourism in
biodiversity areas)
• Theoretical part: identify innovative
approaches to rural development (complexity
and uncertainty)
• Practical part: analyse present situation and
main drivers for change in rural development
of SR, test innovative approach on empirical
ground (integrate them in environmental
governance of transition economy of the SR
Property rights
• Previous political regime – all land was
nationalised – serious deformation of
rural relationship, loss of contact with
property of ancestor.
• Act on restitution and privatisation –
former owners apply for their
property,buy property by private entities;
• various effects with limited increase of
effectiveness of rural activities.
Nature protection
• Act of Nature protection: preservation of
nature – fundamental priority.
• All NP established after 1948 – land is
privately owned.
• State compensate private landowners but
no money available.
• Pressure from owners side to expand
economic activity - ignoring nature
conservation status.
Agriculture
• Agriculture oriented – mass production with
considerable negative impact on the
environment.
• Act of restitution allowed previous owners to
apply for land – limited financial, human
sources, conservative attitude of farmers
community - didn’t provide adequate space for
rural innovations,
• majority of activities oriented on traditional
productions (mountain areas),
• additional treats for environment, enhance
rural conflicts.
Lack of institutional maturity
and participatory democracy
• Communication and cooperation among actors /
week, missing - paralyze development,
implementation of regional policies, alternative
economic programs;
•contrast of legal gabs, incapability or
unwillingness of owners to implement relevant
measures (lack of financial resources, skills, loss
of positive relationship to the land of ancestor);
•most of decision are still adopted in
administrative way without support and
responsibility from regions.
Inappropriate policies and
governmental support
• Restricting of the farm sector - difficulties
in transformation of co-operatives to
smaller units;
• radical cutting of state subsidies for
agriculture;
• absence of target-oriented subsidies for
specific program;
• lack of initiatives towards implementation
of sustainable agriculture, missing market
for such products.
Methodology
Combination of conventional and innovative
methods, application of a complex chain of
approach with more interdisciplinary
orientation:
•Comparative economic analyses of traditional
and new rural activities in SR;
•Institutional analyses- Institutional change in
rural development ;
•MC evaluations in rural planning an decision
making (interactive learning with actors and
decision-makers involved).