After joining EU Lithuania started to receive the support for modernization of agricultural production processes, to maintain farmers' income, upgrade rural infrastructure, improve people's quality of life. Farmers, the local authorities, as well as rural communities had to absorb EU support administration procedures, what formed a new culture of communication. That is why it is important to analyze what was the EU support impact on rural residents, especially their social capital, which is one of the sources to improve life quality and well-being. The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of EU support on rural residents’ social capital. To achieve the set goal Lithuanian rural wards’ elders were selected as representatives of the local authorities. Survey results showed that the rural communities residents became more motivated, self-reliant, the number of cultural and other events increased, the residents began to build their leisure. And pay more attention and resources for the maintenance of living environment and rural landscape.
JEL codes: R23, R50, R58.
Article in: English
Received: 2016-12-16
Published on-line: 2016-12-19
Keyword(s): EU support, impact, rural residents, rural elders, social capital
Kuliešis, G.; Pareigienė, L. 2016. Evaluation of the EU support for rural residents of Lithuania: rural elders approach, In Management theory and studies for rural business and infrastructure development = Vadybos mokslas ir studijos - kaimo verslų ir jų infrastruktūros plėtrai 38(4):384-393. DOI:10.15544/mts.2016.30. (ISSN 1822-6760 (print) / ISSN 2345-0355 (online)). [EBSCO, Business Source Complete, Ulrich’s, DOAJ, OAJI, IndexCopernicus, ERIH PLUS and AcademicKeys.com.].
Evaluation of the EU support for rural residents of Lithuania: rural elders approach