The future direction of rural areas has reached the political agenda within both the national governments of Britain and France as well as the European Union. Whatever the future holds, it seems clear that the role of farmers in rural communities and the place of agriculture in rural economies are changing irrevocably. Innovative forests of economic activity, in some cases incorporating developments in information technology, are re-shaping the lives of rural residents and the landscape of rural areas in Britain and France. The collection of papers included in this volume reflects and synthesises some of this evolution.

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