<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>How are the problems of depopulation being faced by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) and the LEADER approach? What kinds of proposals are being pointed out to tackle young people’s exodus, the economic depression, the physical and virtual distances, and the marginality from the political and economic centers by these local public-private partnerships to the areas having the more worrying situations? Andalusia, a southern region of Spain, has many municipalities with these severe devepopulation problems. According to this aim, the Local Development Strategies documents (LDSs) of the LAGs for 2015–2020, have been reviewed. The predominance of the top-down approach has limited the attention given to face the rural depopulation. It is relevant to note, as well, the reduced presence of specific objectives and projects to combat depopulation in these deep rural areas. The last finding is that these municipalities with extreme depopulation have been left aside; as no solution placed. Definitely, as empty areas to promote rural development. Depopulation concept and depopulation areas have been forgotten for neoendogenous rural development practices.</p>
</abstract>

How are the problems of depopulation being faced by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) and the LEADER approach? What kinds of proposals are being pointed out to tackle young people’s exodus, the economic depression, the physical and virtual distances, and the marginality from the political and economic centers by these local public-private partnerships to the areas having the more worrying situations? Andalusia, a southern region of Spain, has many municipalities with these severe devepopulation problems. According to this aim, the Local Development Strategies documents (LDSs) of the LAGs for 2015–2020, have been reviewed. The predominance of the top-down approach has limited the attention given to face the rural depopulation. It is relevant to note, as well, the reduced presence of specific objectives and projects to combat depopulation in these deep rural areas. The last finding is that these municipalities with extreme depopulation have been left aside; as no solution placed. Definitely, as empty areas to promote rural development. Depopulation concept and depopulation areas have been forgotten for neoendogenous rural development practices.

The Lack of Attention Given by Neoendogenous Rural Development Practice to Areas Highly Affected by Depopulation. The Case of Andalusia (Spain) in 2015–2020 Period

Prof. Francisco Antonio Navarro Valverde, Department of Human Geography

University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja

Prof. Eugenio Cejudo García, Department of Human Geography

Prof. José Antonio Cañete Pérez, Department of Human Geography

European Countryside

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How are the problems of depopulation being faced by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) and the LEADER approach? What kinds of proposals are being pointed out to...

The Lack of Attention Given by Neoendogenous Rural Development Practice to Areas Highly Affected by Depopulation. The Case of Andalusia (Spain) in 2015–2020 Period

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 352 - 367

Received: Nov 16, 2020

Accepted: Mar 13, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0022

Keywords
neo-endogenous rural development practice, LEADER approach, demographic decline, sparsely populated rural areas, Local Action Groups, local development strategies, governance, Andalusia

© 2021 Francisco Navarro-Valverde et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The Lack of Attention Given by Neoendogenous Rural Development Practice to Areas Highly Affected by Depopulation. The Case of Andalusia (Spain) in 2015–2020 Period

Published Online: Jul 12, 2021

Page range: 352 - 367

Received: Nov 16, 2020

Accepted: Mar 13, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2021-0022

Keywordsneo-endogenous rural development practice, LEADER approach, demographic decline, sparsely populated rural areas, Local Action Groups, local development strategies, governance, Andalusia

© 2021 Francisco Navarro-Valverde et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
neo-endogenous rural development practice, LEADER approach, demographic decline, sparsely populated rural areas, Local Action Groups, local development strategies, governance, Andalusia