Abstract
Civil society plays an essential role in the development of our rural areas. In spite of this, little research has been conducted on the role of non-profit organizations, often referred to in general terms as the third sector, within the framework of the LEADER program for rural development, especially in such a large geographical area as Andalusia, the study area of this research. The diversity of the groups that make up the “Others” group of rural development stakeholders is one of its most important characteristics. Over the course of the study period (2000–2015), these organizations have played a very significant role in Andalusia in both quantitative and qualitative terms. In order to find out more about the diversity of third sector organizations and to quantify and evaluate their importance, we carried out a detailed analysis of all the LEADER projects commenced in Andalusia between 2000 and 2015. The quantitative and quantitative results obtained highlight the diversity of these projects and how widely their presence varied from one type of rural area to the next. Our research reopens the debate about the growing role played by non-profit organizations in developed societies at a global level and within LEADER in particular.
Highlights
IntroductionThe third sector is made up of a huge variety of private organizations ranging from civil society to the business sector, including associations, voluntary organizations, foundations, cooperatives, mutual organizations, social enterprises, etc. [1]
The third sector is made up of a huge variety of private organizations ranging from civil society to the business sector, including associations, voluntary organizations, foundations, cooperatives, mutual organizations, social enterprises, etc. [1].The third sector provides goods and services with a high degree of social content and its objectives include scientific research, education, care, and the protection of the dignity of vulnerable groups in society
As geographers, we explore the territorial dimension of LEADER action and the role played by the third sector in the different types of rural areas
Summary
The third sector is made up of a huge variety of private organizations ranging from civil society to the business sector, including associations, voluntary organizations, foundations, cooperatives, mutual organizations, social enterprises, etc. [1]. Types 4, 5, and 6 share certain similarities, especially the last two, in which the following indicators show sharply increasing values: firstly, the constant loss of population since the 1960s that together amounts to about 500,000 inhabitants, of which over half were lost in Type 6 municipalities; secondly, the severe ageing of their populations as demonstrated by the fact that the ageing index in Type 4 is 110, while in Type 6 it is much higher, at 155; thirdly, the increasing importance of agriculture in their production systems, in which well over 40% of all those affiliated to the social security system are employed in agriculture; fourthly, the average altitude, which increases sharply from almost 500 m in Type 4 to 713 in Type 6; and, and most basically, the fact that they are the furthest away from service centers in terms of time distances, which range from 38 min in Type 4 municipalities to 73 min in Type 6. 6) [33], while the opposite is occurring in in those nearest to cities (Types 2, 3, and 4) even when classified as rural
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