ABSTRACT
The South Moravian Region occupies the south-eastern corner of the Czech Republic, bordering Austria and Slovakia. This chapter describes the socio-economic and environmental characteristics of the South Moravia Region, examines the impact of globalization and highlights some of the initiatives in the region that have responded to the challenges and opportunities of globalization. Globalization comes to the South Moravian Region through Brno, direct cross-border contacts and European Union policy. The economic sustainability of the South Moravian countryside is facing challenges from global economic transformation, competition in the world market and the implications of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The South Moravian Region can be seen as an example of a region pursuing neo-endogenous rural development through the valorization of its 'culture economy'. There is a long tradition of local agricultural specialization, linked to specific local geographical and climatic conditions, which includes areas noted for wine, fruit and vegetable growing.
