PR - Rural And Regional Policies For Rural Development - A Strategic Approach In Polish Conditions

Rural and regional policies towards rural areas have been a subject of evaluation and discussions of results. As a consequence some changes have been taken place, even in fundamental assumptions, which determine strategic decisions in the field of public support for rural development. The aim of the paper is to identify similarities and differences in a strategic approach of rural and regional policies towards rural development in Poland basing on a document analysis of the National Strategy of Regional Development 2010-2020: Regions, Cities, Rural Areas and the Strategy for sustainable development of rural areas, agriculture and fisheries 2012-2020. Results of investigations display that both documents setting up strategic objectives for rural development in Poland have a lot in common with new paradigms of rural and regional policies described in OECD works. Both strategies tend towards multifunctional approach enhancing competitiveness of rural areas and assuming engagement of stakeholders of different levels. At this point it is not possible to asses to what extent instruments of the two discussed policies will close to the new approach. It results from a situation when construction of implementation mechanisms is highly influenced by solutions introduced by European cohesion and agricultural policies.

Keywords: agricultural policy, regional policy, rural development, strategy, Poland