1、本科毕业设计（论文） 外 文 翻 译 原文 ： Rural diversication in the Baltic countryside: a local perspective Abstract Today rural diversification is high on the agenda in rural development. This article analyses rural diversification under conditions of post-socialist economic transition using case areas in Latvia an
2、d Estonia. The study shows that transition from centrally planned economy to market economy has had an enormous impact in the rural areas. Agricultural production and employment has decreased dramatically and rural unemployment is high. The conditions for rural diversification the first years after
3、independence depended a lot on the local presence of non-farm activities before the split up of collective farming, in both production facilities but also in the skills and relations people had. Since independence, markets for traditional rural services and products have decreased. The extent to whi
4、ch local businesses find markets outside the local area and people have been able to integrate into the new labour market of service and construction jobs often in urban areas are essential for the diversification of the rural economy. Most rural inhabitants only have skills in large-scale agricultu
5、re and limited contacts to outside the local area which makes exploiting new opportunities difficult. The local capacity for withholding, developing and inducing new activities is weak. The challenge for rural development policy is to extend the possibilities of the rural inhabitants to exploit new
6、opportunities. Introduction Decreasing employment opportunities in agriculture is an all-European problem. In Western Europe the proportion of the rural population during most of the twentieth century has fallen steadily. In Eastern Europe this fall has been more dramatic. About 20% of the populatio
7、ns were employed in agriculture in the Baltic States 10 years ago, only 5% are employed today. This is similar to the EU average. However, still 30% of the population lives in rural areas (Rural Development Programmes 2004a, b). In Latvia and Estonia many rural areas suffer from persisting unemploym
8、ent and poverty (Alanen 2004； Tisenkopfs 1999). Rural diversification seems essential to avoid increasing poverty and is high on the agenda for rural development in the years to come. The EU Common Agricultural Policy 20072013 focuses on three thematic axes laid down in the new rural development reg
9、ulation of which diversification of the rural economy is one of them (European Commission 2005). This article analyses the rural diversification under conditions of post-socialist economic transition and discusses opportunities and constraints for rural diversification. The project is an exploratory
10、 study into how people make a living and rural business development in two study regions in Latvia and Estonia respectively. Theoretical background and approach In diversification studies the centre of attention is dominantly the farm household and its abilities for finding new activities and employ
11、ment. There are two types of activities； farm diversification which are on-farm activities like tourism activities or alternative farm production and employment diversification which is employment away from the farm (Bryden et al. 1992； Chaplin et al. 2004). Policy makers assume that farm diversific
12、ation makes a significant contribution to rural development. Alternative activities on farms are expected to help absorbing some of the excess farm labour, alleviate poverty and contribute to the development of employment in rural areas (e.g. Council Regulation 1999). The funding for diversification
13、 within the EU focuses dominantly on farm diversification stimulating tourism activities and alternative farm products at individual farms. However, most empirical studies still shows that farm diversification are small-scale activities related to conventional agriculture such as machinery services and add little incomes. Employment diversification is much more widespread (e.g. McNally 2001). As my focus is rural development, my working definition of rural diversification and the nonfarm economy also includes the broader
