SOCIAL FARMING IN THE LEGAL AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Annotation: The aim of this article is to specify the economic and legal aspects of social farming ( also referred to as social agricultural, green care farming, green care etc.) in general terms, and in relation to seniors in the Czech Republic, Central Europe, primarily with regard to rural areas in the South Bohemian Region. Social farming is a method of real integration of socially or physically disadvantaged persons into society through various mechanisms such as social services, employment, leisure activities, education, etc., all in the direct context of agriculture and rural communities. Rural areas have traditionally been conceived as settlements outside cities which usually have a lower population density and are frequently associated with the agricultural sector. The concept of agriculture includes many functions, e.g. production function, cultural function or social function. Social farming is a current topic that relates, inter alia, to the social exclusion of seniors, and to which attention is paid mainly due to its potential for the whole of society and rural areas. Social exclusion of seniors can be understood as a lack of participation of a person in the age of 65+ in the life of the society, accompanied by a higher degree of dependence on the care of another person. This article also reflects the results of research conducted via a focus group in the second half of 2015.