Many rural areas in the UK face challenges because of the steady decline in traditional primary industries such as farming, mining, forestry and fishing. Rural areas are now producing less than they used to. Geographers refer to this as the post-production countryside, where the rural landscape is used for activities other than agriculture.
British farmers have had a series of problems over the past 25 years — from EU financial cutbacks to managing the effects of climate change. In an increasingly interconnected world, with competition from global markets, many UK farmers are either going bankrupt or are the last generation of farmers in their family. As a result, the total farming labour force in the UK has been in long-term decline. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states that in England alone there was a 9% reduction in the number of farmers between 2000 and 2011. However, some farmers are using their land and buildings to make a living in other ways. This is known as diversification. Table 1 provides a summary of how farms can diversify.
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