New Catalan rurality in recent decades: Diversification, entrepreneurship and employment

© 2016, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. All rights reserved. The aim of this article is to characterize some elements of the new rurality and to analyse their impact on diversification, entrepreneurship and job opportunities. For this article we used the results of several research projects (Rural Change in Europe, IDEAS, Ruremplo, Entrepreneurship, RUDONA, etc.) which, although not directly oriented to the issue, contained elements relevant to the analysis. In the new Catalan rurality, agriculture and the traditional model of agricultural modernisation have lost prominence in favour of a more diversified economy. This diversification is very often based on the farms that have incorporated new activities providing jobs for women and facilitating their continuity. In parallel, new rural entrepreneurs have contributed to a significant change in activities thanks to new communication technologies. Also, in recent decades territorial rebalancing policies, European rural development policies and the welfare State have provided jobs that are now a fundamental element of the new Catalan rurality.