The presentation of the study “Rural Areas in the Region of Murcia” brings together authorities from the 3 public administrations in Bullas: local, regional and national, to address the problem of depopulation
According to the report prepared by researchers from the University of Murcia, there are 12 municipalities in the region with a “higher degree of rurality” affected by the problem of depopulation.
Among the municipalities that suffer from depopulation are Bullas, Lorca, Calasparra, Campos del Río, Moratalla, Aledo and Ulea.
Bullas hosted the presentation of Study No. 44 of the Economic and Social Council of the Region of Murcia (CESRM) entitled "Rural areas in the Region of Murcia", a conference organized by the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia (FMRM), and held at the Wine Museum of the municipality.
The event was chaired by the president of the FMRM and mayor of Bullas, María Dolores Muñoz, and the president of the CESRM, José Antonio Cobacho. Authorities from the three administrations, local, regional and national, participated in it, among which were the mayors and councilors of Ulea, Aledo and the mayor of Calasparra, and Lorca (Víctor Manuel López, Francisco Javier Andreo, Teresa García and Antonio Navarro); the General Director of Policies against Depopulation of the Ministry of Ecological Transition of the Government of Spain, Juana López Pagán, the Director of Local Administration, Francisco Abril, the manager of the Local Action Group of the Ricote Valley, José Luís Tornero, and the vice president of the Economic Circle.
In addition, other representatives of the CARM, mayors, councillors, regional deputies, municipal technicians and representatives of entities and organisations related to the municipal and agricultural world attended as guests.
Study No. 44
Researchers José Colino Sueiras and Federico Martínez-Carrasco, members of the Research Group on Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, coordinators of this study that they have carried out together with professors from the University of Murcia, have explained the structure of the document, and how it offers an in-depth analysis of the situation of the rural world of the Region of Murcia, from multiple and relevant areas.
The first phase of the study, which consists of delimiting the rural areas of the Region based on 4 variables: population residing in rural cells, agricultural and forest cover of the total surface of the municipality, aging index and accessibility to hospital services, made it possible to identify 20 rural municipalities, 13 intermediate and 12 urban, distinguishing in the first of the groups a total of 12 municipalities with a higher degree of rurality, called R12.
The problem of depopulation
One of the results of the analysis of the study identifies the presence in the region of rural municipalities with "a constant loss of population and a decline in the rates of vegetative growth, and therefore affected by the challenge of depopulation, with a high level of ageing of its population, which points to the need to address the existence of a problem of balanced territorial development and equal opportunities for a not inconsiderable part of the population and municipalities". According to the report, the study of the labour market of rural municipalities, and in particular in group R12, allows to highlight a similar evolution of the main labour indicators (employment, unemployment, female participation, etc.), which allows the existence of greater labour imbalances in rural municipalities, related to a lower activity rate and a higher unemployment rate, which feeds back into the outflow of the working-age population, with a cycle that leads to an irremediable ageing rate in these municipalities.
A diverse economy
Although agriculture is a very important activity in rural areas, the analyses carried out support the hypothesis that economic activity is not based exclusively on agriculture, and that the rural economy is much more varied and complex. The income levels of the population in rural municipalities are lower than the regional average, and there is a higher percentage of the population at risk of poverty and exclusion in all rural municipalities than in the Region as a whole.
National Framework for Rural Policy
The need to have a common general framework for action on rural development at a national level is being reiterated, which would mark out more coordinated and effective actions throughout the national territory in terms of revitalising and improving opportunities in the national and regional rural environment. For her part, the Director General of Miteco explained during her speech that, “it is essential to act taking into account each territory, each regional reality. Socio-territorial cohesion requires an equal dialogue between the rural and urban environment, to overcome the gaps in inequality of opportunities for the citizens who live and care for our rural environment. The region of Murcia, and the municipalities that suffer the consequences of these socio-territorial imbalances must be a priority for public action at all levels of government. The role of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia is being key in this regard.”
López Pagán added that “the Spanish Government has launched, for the first time, a public policy at a national level to combat depopulation, which is the greatest effort in recent history to unite our country.”
For his part, the Director General of Local Administration, Francisco Abril, commented during his speech that, “it is important to diagnose, of course, but it is even more important to take action because otherwise citizens do not see solutions in their municipalities. Therefore, one of the first decisions we made from the regional government has been to establish the implementation within the framework of the strategy against depopulation, such as actions in terms of employment, or connectivity and transport between their residence and large urban environments so that young people do not leave.”
The needs of rural areas in the Region
For her part, the president of the FMRM explained that "it is an opportunity to apply the results of this study in the municipalities of the region, since it speaks of concrete actions and measures, in order to achieve a more balanced territorial development and avoid the processes of abandonment of rural areas, revitalizing them, and generating new opportunities in these territories, which in addition to retaining their young population, manage to attract valuable economic activities, generate employment and transform these rural areas into competitive spaces."
The study also describes the actions required to tackle the demographic challenge of rural areas, promoting employment, economic diversification, improving the quality of basic services, or improving connectivity and communication or digital infrastructures in rural areas. The study also raises the need to improve the governance and coordination of existing actions in the field of rural development and the fight against depopulation.
Inter-administrative coordination
The authors recall that "it is essential to improve the vertical coordination of public policies developed by different European, national, regional or local administrations, but also horizontally between ministries or departments with actions in different areas, and through the strengthening of service associations, for example.
Lola Muñoz concluded by explaining that “as the study recommends, it is important to achieve a clearer delimitation of the exclusive or shared areas of competence, concluding on the importance of including the approach of balanced territorial development and the fight against population in all the public policies and actions of the CARM, such as the review of the financing needs of small municipalities and the interest in having a Law that could direct actions in matters of rural development and the fight against depopulation in the Region of Murcia”.
