THE ROLE OF RURAL POPULATION OF SERBIA IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Rural population in Serbia have not only significant role in rural development but also in structural changes of agriculture in transition process. Today in villages lives 43.21% of total population. Social and demographical structure of population in rural areas constantly is changing. In population structure 10% is agricultural population of which 7.05% are active in production. Because migration of young people from villages to towns many villages left empty and participation of older people in population structure is constantly increasing. These migration tendencies are more significant in mountainous areas. For many years process of deagrarization is present in villages and this have influence on changes in structure of households, which become smaller and more parceled. However, significant part of population in rural areas still have income from agricultural production and actively give contribution to rural development. Having in mind comparative advantages of modern agriculture and other activities in rural areas, it is necessary to create all prerequisites for agriculture and rural development in which rural population would be the most important factor.