Territorial dynamics of agriculture and rural spaces in France

Abstract

The comparison between two cantonal typologies, one agricultural and one rural, shows that there is no clear link between agricultural development and development of the countryside in terms of population and employment. Although some cantons have witnessed problems with agriculture and overall economic decline, agriculture has also undergone positive development in cantons where the rural fabric is in great difficulty. On the contrary, agriculture may become a more sensitive issue within the framework of rural peri-urban dynamics. This absence of convergence strengthens the legitimacy and the necessity of an adapted policy for more effective adequation between agricultural and rural development.