RURAL CHANGE

RURAL CHANGE

1. MEDC

   • Job losses. Several factors have led to a decline in employment in rural areas. The mechanisation of agriculture means less people are needed to work on the land. Raw materials which may have been mined are becoming exhausted, so mines are closing. Imported food and raw materials also decreases the demand from the countryside.
   • House price increases. Restrictions on new developments in National Parks means housing stock is restricted. Attractive areas found in National Parks create demand from second home owners pushing local people out of the price bracket.
   • Rural depopulation. The less accessible (remote) rural areas have a decreasing population. In these less accessible rural areas many of the younger population move out. Push factors for the young people are the shortage of jobs and a lack of social life.
   • New homes. The UK has a shortage of suitable homes. Greenfield sites are cheaper to build on than brownfield sites. Related problems, such as traffic congestion and increased car journeys are created.
   • Competition from abroad. There is now more competition from abroad - for example lamb can be imported at a competitive price from New Zealand. As agricultural income falls, farms diversify - into providing tourist accommodation, for instance. This is successful in some areas which attract tourists, but is limited in many areas. Tourism is also very seasonal in the UK.

2. LEDC

   • Rural to urban migration. Rural push factors (such as low wages) and urban pull factors (such as better jobs) cause rural to urban migration. Positive results The migrants are able to send money home. With more money from the urban workers, school fees may be paid or livestock bought. Negative results It is often the young males who move - the remaining family may be less physically able to carry out heavy tasks. With the absence of the young males, children may have to work on the farm, rather than going to school.
   • Brain Drain
   • Globalisation of tourism Some rural areas attract tourists. The Maasai Mara in Kenya is one area which attracts tourists on safari. This brings money into the area and may help improve local infrastructure. However the money spent by tourists does not always go back to the local economy. These changes can make rural areas more vulnerable and trigger a cycle of decline.
   • Environmental degradation As people seek to gain food and income from the land, more vulnerable land is used. The processes of desertification and deforestation mean the environment degrades. Clearing forests, such as in the Amazon Rainforest, causes many problems such as soil erosion and loss of the ecosystem.
   • Hazards and diseases AIDS and other epidemics raise the death rate. Wars also raise the death rate. This means that there are fewer older people to work on the fields to produce food.
   • Population increase The rate of natural increase is high in many areas. This puts pressure on the food supply. This leads to malnutrition and starvation. It also encourages rural to urban migration.