Improving the quality of life in rural Romania through sustainable agriculture

• Author: Balasescu M., Dovleac L.
• Pages: 259-264

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 9 (58) No. 1 - 2016

Improving the quality of life in rural Romania

through sustainable agriculture

Marius BLŞESCU1, Lavinia DOVLEAC2

Abstract: Agriculture is still a major sector with important social impact, since in

developing countries most of the population works in agriculture. Quality of life in rural

areas in Romania has a low score compared to other European countries. Although

Romania is rich in natural resources in agricultural sector, the poor evolution of quality of

life index is determined by the lack of implementation of some pillars like innovation,

education, funds management and poor infrastructure.

Key-words: sustainable agriculture, quality of life, rural areas

1. Introduction

Quality of life should not be mixed with the concept of standard of living, which is

based primarily on income (Dolan, Peasgood and White, 2008). The quality of life is

a broader concept and the standard indicators of the quality of life include not only

wealth and employment. (Eurostat, 2015)

There is a direct relationship between quality of life and environment

(Streimikiene, 2014). Environmental quality is a key dimension of people’s well-

being, as quality of life is strongly affected by a healthy physical environment

(Holman and Coan, 2008).

Europe’s rural areas according to the OECD urban-rural typology, account for

91% of EU territory. Furthermore, 24% of EU’s population lives in predominantly

rural areas and 35% in significantly rural regions. The greatest shares of rural

population in Europe are in Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania and Norway.

Semi-subsistence farms are definitely predominant in Romania. Romania

agricultural productivity is often low, because it is influenced by unfavorable

investment environment, limited agricultural land market, poor technical and

environmental status of water management systems (European Commission, 2008).

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration,

lavinia.dovleac@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, Faculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration,

marbalasescu@yahoo.com