ABSTRACT
As the sub-title suggests, this volume uses System Dynamics to explore the inter-relationships between rural policies, farming, environment, demographics, regional economies, and quality of life. In analysing these interrelationships, the book draws on three main sources of evidence. First, the volume looks at previous research and scholarly work on territorial rural development, sustainability, regional development, multifunctional agriculture, environmental consequences of modern farming, farm household activities and livelihoods, styles of farming, quality of life, rural and regional policies, and many other related topics. This is reviewed mainly, but not only, in Chapters 1 and 2. Second, the results of surveys submitted by farmers, rural entrepreneurs, and rural citizens undertaken as part of the research are studied. These are described in Chapter 2, and the results analysed in Chapter 4. Third, we looked at the collective learning generated by the common task of building a dynamic systems model to deal with the complexities of the topic, and the use of the model to analyse possible future economic, social, and environmental outcomes from a range of policy and market scenarios. This work is mainly discussed in Chapters 2, 5, and 11, and the results are discussed in the country case studies in Chapters 7 to 12, and the comparative Chapter 13. On the basis of this research evidence, modelling work, and subsequent analysis, the book seeks to make a contribution to the improvement of research, policy, and practice which will take us further and faster ‘Towards Sustainable Rural Regions in Europe’. It is for readers to judge whether, and to what extent, this goal has been achieved.
