Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Dufek Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry. Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: B. Minařík Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry. Brno, Czech Republic Title: Age of population and the development of population ageing in the regions of the Czech Republic Abstract: The process of ageing of the population is one of the negative demographic phenomena of the developed countries' population. The basic reasons are the decrease of the birth-rate and a longer lifespan of people. These trends can also be seen in the Czech Republic on the state as well as the regional levels. Our contribution wants to analyze the differences in the age of population and the rapidity of the ageing process in the particular Czech regions. The database of the analysis comes from 12 selected demographic indicators related to the ageing process in the period 1998-2007. Based on the factor analysis, out of 12 indicators, we chose the ageing index and the ratio of productive population, where by the means of cluster analysis, we created groups of regions with the similar age of population as of 1st December 2007 and the similar rapidity of ageing process in the period 1998-2007. The graphs showing the regions by the level reached by the indicator and the respective average growth coefficient are included in the contribution. The analysis concludes by setting the order of regions by the age of their population and the rapidity of the ageing process independently as well as by the age and the process of ageing together. Keywords: regions of the Czech Republic, age and process of ageing of population, factor analysis, cluster analysis, order of regions Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 259-270 Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/35/2009-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/35/2009-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200906-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:55:y:2009:i:6:id:35-2009-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Zagata Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The analysis of the current forms of organic chicken husbandry in the Czech Republic and their social consequences Abstract: The paper deals with the development of the organic sector in the Czech Republic and by this it joins the current debate on the conventionalisation of organic agriculture. Using the case study method, it explores the situation of organically reared chicken. The main goal of the study is to find out to what extent the methods of organic farmers comply with the model of sustainable food production. The empirical analysis is based on the quantitative and qualitative approach. The results point out three different groups of producers, which are then described in detail with regard to their practices. The study suggests that the organic sector in the Czech Republic is becoming more differentiated and some of its current forms may violate the principles of sustainability. At the same time, it argues that this situation results from a more general framework of the modern society, which entails structures that are contradicting per se the sustainable model of food production. Keywords: conventionalisation, sustainable development, alternative food networks, hygienic mode of control, organic eggs, organic chicken meat Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 271-283 Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/48/2009-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/48/2009-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200906-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:55:y:2009:i:6:id:48-2009-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Pospěch Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Delín Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: D. Spěšná Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Quality of life in Czech rural areas Abstract: The paper deals with the quality of life in Czech rural areas and its measurement. The first part is focused on the introduction of the term "quality of life", with particular emphasis on its analytic uses and the related issues. Building on the up to date research, we go on to conceptualize the term into seven groups of indicators. In the next part, we deal with living conditions in Czech rural areas and build our hypotheses, based upon them. We employ the methods of statistical analysis of the European Social Survey data to perform a rural vs. non-rural comparison for each of the seven dimensions identified. In the final part, we discuss the findings and match the conclusions with the current trends in Czech rural areas. Keywords: quality of life, rural areas, Czech Republic, European Social Survey Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 284-295 Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/1489-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/1489-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200906-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:55:y:2009:i:6:id:1489-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A.S. Ilak Peršurić Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for agriculture and tourism, Porec, Istra, Croatia Author-Name: A. Tezak Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for agriculture and tourism, Porec, Istra, Croatia Title: The influence of socio-demographic characteristics of tourists on their interest for organic food in Istria, Croatia Abstract: Due to the consumers concern about their health and the rise of their ecological consciousness, demand for organic food is generally increasing. According to this trend, there is an increase in the amount of agricultural land surface used for organic farming and market rise for organic products. The survey was conducted in 2008. Market development possibilities for organic farming in Istra had a focus on organic food consumption during their stay in Istra. This paper represents the analysis of the survey in six tourist places in Istra on a sample of 1 300 tourists. We used a questionnaire as the research method. The purpose of this paper was to determine socio-demographic characteristics of tourists interested in organic food consumption and the influence on the mentioned interest. Our assumption was that there exists a certain tourist profile interested in consuming organic food. We confirmed through correlations their statistical importance. Keywords: organic food, socio-demographic profile, tourists, Istria, Croatia Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 296-305 Volume: 55 Issue: 6 Year: 2009 DOI: 10.17221/27/2009-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/27/2009-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200906-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:55:y:2009:i:6:id:27-2009-AGRICECON