ABSTRACT
The economies of most marginal regions traditionally have been heavily dependent upon agriculture. The role of agriculture has diminished as their economies have diversified but this process has lagged behind and occurred to a lesser extent than in the more developed regions. Thus the proportion of the workforce reliant on farming and the proportion of the land devoted to agriculture remain comparatively high (Fenton and Gillmor 1994). In the west of Ireland, for instance, direct employment in agriculture is 25% of all employment and 78% of the land is used for agricultural purposes, with much of the remainder being mountain, peat bog or forest. The population is predominantly rural, with 74% of the people living in the open countryside or in settlements of less than 1500 population.
