ABSTRACT
Rural areas in Central and Eastern Europe have traditionally struggled with issues of underdevelopment, and many rural peripheries have experienced notable socio-economic decline under the effects of transition and globalisation. This chapter examines the two pillars of rural development in the macro-region: agricultural functions, where divergent national development paths can be observed, and diversification towards non-agricultural forms of land use. These processes have been fraught with strong conflicts of interest between local and external actors. The findings of the chapter highlight the significance of multifunctional development philosophies, the empowerment of local actors, and particularly the bottom-up strategies of the LEADER programme.
