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)