Across the rural regions of the developed world the issues of population
decline, economic change and community regeneration are universal. For over a
century, the powerful trends of industrialisation and urbanisation have
steadily altered the economic and political position of rural society. In the
last 40 years those trends have intensified. Farm incomes have fallen in real
terms. Technological changes have joined with falling incomes to reduce
agricultural employment. In response, rural service provision has diminished:
shops, schools, churches, professional services and transport facilities have
all declined in numbers and in underlying vitality. Typically, rural
populations have aged and become fewer in total. Many small towns and villages
now struggle to retain their viability. Throughout the world, local, regional
and central government agencies have intervened to address these issues, with
various degrees of success.