Demographic Resources and Labour Force Development in Rural Areas

M. Anastassova, N. Malamova

Abstract: The present article was divided in two sections. In the first section an assessment has been made of the demographic resources development in rural areas after the EU accession of Bulgaria and prognosis, in two variants, of their number up to 2013, at national and regional level. The main conclusion is that after the RDP measures; the extremely high negative growth in the villages remains the main reason for the heavy demographic situation in the rural areas. According the predicted results, in the next future is expected further diminution for the diminution of the rural population’s number. This decrease would be 3,6% for the first variant and 5,1 % for the second variant. At a regional level, the North-West planning region would remain in the most unfavorable position and the South-West region is supposed to have relatively smaller deficit of rural population. The second part of the article is dedicated to analysis of the state and the problems of human resources development in Bulgarian agriculture; the RDP Program 2007-2013 potential for the improvement of the qualification level and the demographic characteristics of the agricultural employment. The following agricultural producers’ qualification structure can be outlined in Bulgaria: • The predominant part of producers have primary qualification level of the worker; • Not more than 10 % have secondary qualification level (“experienced level of the worker”); • Less than 5 % have third and fourth qualification levels (“supervisor” and “manager”). The RDP measure 112 importance is strongly underestimated and it is necessary to redirect financial resource, aiming the support of all young farmers complying with requirements and manifesting interest to this measure. Taking in consideration the qualification structure of employed in agriculture; the number of needing support under measure 111 in agriculture is at least 5 times bigger than the previewed.

Keywords: demographic resources; labour force; prognosis; qualification structure of employed in agriculture; RDP measures 111 and 112; rural population

Date published: 2018-01-31