Rural development approach in Romania's sustainable development strategy 2014-2020

Abstract

In recent decades, Romania has faced enormous challenges in meeting its economic and social potential, agro-food and forestry, and rural areas. Gross domestic product per capita was and is much lower than the European Union average and significantly lower in all rural areas, demonstrating a very slow economic growth process. In terms of development, rural areas are significantly different from urban areas and are characterized by persistent structural weaknesses (the large number of people employed in agriculture, the aging of the population, a large number of subsistence holdings, etc.); low added value of agri-food products; low labor productivity and productivity; poor entrepreneurship for the development of economic activities, low access to credits; a non-functional land market; a modest export orientation; insufficient investment in research and development; the continuous increase of regional disparities; a high share of the population at risk of poverty and social exclusion, etc. The present analysis aimed at highlighting the structural and dynamic evolutions of the main indicators that characterize the agriculture of Romania during the period 2011-2016, namely: macroeconomic indicators; production structures; cultivated areas and livestock; agricultural crop and animal production; prices of agricultural products. In Romania, the first Sustainable Development Strategy was implemented between 1997 and 1999 and was revised in 2008 (Sustainable Development Strategy 2013-2020-2030). In 2013, the National Strategy for Regional Development 2014-2020 was developed, which includes several aspects of ensuring sustainable development. In 2014, the Strategic Guidelines for Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (2014-2020) were approved.