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Side activities by non-farmersSymposium ‘Platteland als consumptieruimte’

12 april 2012

Marianna MarkantoniDepartment of Cultural Geography, Faculty of Spatial SciencesUniversity of Groningen

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What is a side activity?

A side activity is a small-scale home-based activity, which provides an extra income at the household level and is carried out in a rural household by non-farmers

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Main categories of side activities1) Services and facilities provision2) Tourism and recreation3) Crafts and arts4) Sale of home-grown products

More consumption than production related activities

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Why side activities by non-farmers?

› Lack of attention

• Rural development

• Rural policy

› Focus of farm diversification of farmers

› ‘Invisibility’ of side activities in datasets

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› Research in 36 municipalities

› Survey & in-depth interviews

Methodology and data collection

› 560 side activities by non-farmers found 260 surveyed

› 269 side activities by farmers counted

› At the personal level

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Main results:

› At the regional level

Categories % Responses

Self-interest/pleasure 47.7

Earn and extra income 16.2

Unemployment 7.7

Work from home/childcare

4.2

Be the boss of my own 4.2

Social contacts 3.1

Environment 2.3

Challenge 1.9

Need for the product 1.5

Overproduction 1.2

(n=260)

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Motives to start a side activity (open)

Personal level

List of motives Great extent

Self-interestChallenge

54.343.0

Boss on my ownRural lifestyle

42.431.2

Availability of own resourcesQuality of life

30.227.1

DreamExtra income

30.629.1

Personal growthContribute to society

20.218.7

Social contactsFlexibility personal/family

19.618.8

Gap in the marketSuccess of others

15.25.1

Dissatisfaction paid jobFamily tradition

4.74.7

Unemployment 3.9

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Motives to start a side activity (closed)

1. Internal aspirations

2. Economic well-being

3. Rural lifestyle

Three main type of motives

Personal level

‘I become richer in the inside than in my wallet’

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Personal level

| 10

Regional level

What is the impact of side activities on rural

development?

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Key features of rural develpment(Ilbery 1998; OECD 2008)

› Rural economyo Directly

- Income- Employment

o Indirectly- Local collaborations- Competition- Rural tourism

› Social capital

› Physical environment

Regional level

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1. Direct economic impact

Annual net income from side activities, n=260 (Euros)

Categories Respondents (n) %

<1,000 45 32.3

1,000-5,000 38 27.4

5,000-15,000 46 33.1

>15,000 10 7.2

Very small

0.009 % of total household income (36 municipalities)

Employment generation

Sole traders, 2% hire personeel

Regional level

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Side activities foster local collaborationsTouristic routes

Bike routes

Walking routes

A side activity owner:

‘A groceries shop, a carpenter, a bike shop,

they profit from us and we from them. The

recreation office in the village is happy with our

group accommodation here.’

Indirect economic impact

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2. Social Impact› ‘I provide a listening ear’ (dog grooming salon)

› High level of personal interaction

› Fullfil social needs

› Municipalities:Social vitality of the rural areasA meeting point for the village

Regional level

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Kiel-Windeweer

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www.kiel-windeweer.nl

Kiel-Windeweer

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3. Physical environment

Regional level

› Small-scale, home-based do not seem to threaten the landscape

› BUT 25% of the side activity owners have growth aspirations impact?

› Municipalities set preconditions:

Do not clutter (verrommeling) the countryside

No big road sings

Fit with the surroundings

Stay small scale

‘It is not so much the economic contribution of side activities that is important...but their contribution to the social revitalization of rural areas’

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Conclusions

1. Personal level:Side activities are an important part of the

owner’s lives, needs and identities

2. Regional level:Side activities diversify the rural activities and

enhance the social wellbeing in rural areas

‘The importance of side activities is valued more in terms of non-economic

than economic returns’

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Thank you for your attention!

Questions?Westerweelde, group accomodation

Marianna Markantoni

Respondent’s Background (n=260)

Age <3030-4445-59>60

%18.540.634.66.3

EducationPrimarySecondaryHigher

9.460.030.6

GenderMale Female

39.061.0

Employed?Paid employedHousewife/housemanPensionSocial security

49.829.67.812.8

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Personal level

Enabling factors

› Rural location (affordability, rural amenities)

› Personal/household circumstances:

• Multifunctional home

• Major life transitions (marriage, parenthood)

• Support from family and friends

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Personal level

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The position of local governments

1) Side activities broaden the touristic and the recreation sector

Promote local products

Diversify the touristic activities

2) Side activities have a limited influence on tourism

They add a ‘little bit’ to tourism

They are very small, tourists do not come for these activities

Indirect economic impact

Policy perspectives

› Unclear policies for side activities

› Differentiation between farmers-non-farmer’s side activities in policies

This study concluded that:

› Side activities are not a threat to the landscapeBut attention to those with clear growth intentions

› Raise awareness of the contribution of side activities for the revitalization and diversification of rural areas

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Regional level