Sustainable agriculture and rural development in Lithuania (the case of Molėtai region)

The article presents the factual analysis of small and medium-sized business (SMB), reviews the situation in Lithuanian rural areas: the population, people's employment according to economic sectors, structure of unemployed according to age groups, indicators of educated employed people in towns and in the country, as well as analyses small and medium-sized business in rural areas — they are enterprises operating according to legal forms, types of economic activity, counties. While analyzing small and medium-sized business in Lithuania with regard to exact data the SMB situation in rural areas is presented by the example of Moletai region. It should be noted that in the period 2000-2006 the population in rural areas decreased by 1.7%. This is caused by smaller birth rate and mortality rate in comparison with cities. It is noticed that young 25-29 people migrate from the country to the cities. One more tendency appears - it is the ageing population. While evaluating the employment of rural population according to types of economic activity it was indicated that agricultural activity still remained the basic activity. The level of education of rural population is lower than the one of town inhabitants. The introduction of SMB in rural areas goes very slowly. In 2005 for 1,000 country inhabitants were only 7 SMB, while in the EU — the indicator of SMB in 25 member states reached 24. In rural areas of Lithuania as well in all the country arc founded individual enterprises. According to SMB distribution the above mentioned enterprises deal with commerce (39.5%)Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŠiaulių universitetas, kptc@smf.su.ltŠvietimo akademij