Sociology and Space, No. 119-120, 1993.
Preliminary communication
How peasants in Croatia evaluate public services to agriculture
Ivan Magdalenić
Milan Župančić
Abstract
On the basis of empirical research in
which 211 peasants filled in a
questionnaire and of group interviews in
fieve selected peasant environments, the
authors present peasants’ evaluations and
opinions of the work of public and
professional services that are charged, in
the Republic of Croatia, with professional
and developmental support to peasant
holdings.
The peasants who participated in the
enquiry, and who in many ways differ
from the »average* Croatian peasant —
they are much more educated, informed,
younger, and they own and work larger
farms — showed very critical but also
differentiated attitudes towards the work
of specific professional services. This can
especially be seen in the case of the
agricultural counseling service, whose task
is the professional support and help to
peasant holdings. Although many peasants
are not yet acquainted with the work and
activities of this service, some failings and
weaknesses in its work have already been
remarked — one counsellor cannot
professionally guide various kinds of
production, nor can his service include all
the peasants interested. It was shown that
the peasants are increasingly interested in
advice about the market and credits, and
less about production itself. There is even
greater criticism of the veterinarian
service. Besides comments on the work
and failings of individuals in that service,
peasants are very dissatisfied with prices
and they demand that the state should
bear the expenses of preventive activities
that it prescribes. In the questionnaire the
peasants are least satisfied with the work
of banks and insurance companies.
Research showed that peasants are
interested in the work of services and
institutions that are responsible for their
position and that they are prepared to
contribute to their better and more
complete work.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
119773
URI
Publication date:
11.6.1993.
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