• Energy Research

This conceptual paper aims to expand the notion of “farming newcomers” in Europe by also including those that we label “involuntary newcomers”, who correspond to the workforce coming unwillingly to farming for reasons associated with spatial (im)mobilities. We fully develop our aim in four steps. Firstly, we present an integrative literature review which describes how the interplay between the key concepts of the sustainable farming framework (i.e., sustained development, networked rural development, and spatial (im)mobilities) tailor the newcomers’ arrival to the farming sector. Secondly, we define involuntary newcomers, describe their profiles and list the barriers to their engagement with sustainable farming. Thirdly, we advance some implications and limitations of our work for mobility research agendas. Fourthly, we conclude with an overview of the main inputs provided by our paper. We contribute to the literature by showing that: (a) newcomers must be defined beyond land ownership; (b) involuntary newcomers are very diverse, due to trends in spatial (im)mobilities; and (c) there is a high risk of the sustainable farming framework failing to meet its ambitions if it continues to ignore involuntary newcomers (and the barriers they encounter) in sustainable forms of agriculture.

The adoption of climate-friendly food choices has been recognized as a high-impact personal action, which offers a vast opportunity to combat climate change more effectively. Thus, this study aims to analyse consumer food behaviour across three countries (Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia) that vary in their levels of development, pro-environmental policies sophistication, corruption, and sociocultural contexts. Based on a comprehensive theoretical framework developed from previous literature a cross-country cluster analysis was implemented with a non-probability sampling procedure, forming a convenience sample (N: BA= 215, RS=141, ITA=296). Cluster analysis identified three cross-country segments that highlight similarities in the willingness to adopt climate-friendly food choices: A. Ready for climate-friendly food patterns, B. Responsible & Climate-Conscious, and C. Traditional, ready for “small changes” in lifestyle. Despite their pro-environmental attitudes, respondents view climate-friendly behaviour as involving small changes in daily routines, such as reducing food waste and purchasing local, seasonal, and unprocessed foods. The research findings indicate that, regardless of the level of economic development and social context, similar market trends exist, along with consumers who are eager to embrace lifestyle changes, particularly concerning climate-friendly food choices and behaviours. Consequently, the food sector must intensify its efforts to foster innovation to provide appealing, affordable, and accessible climate-friendly food options, while public policy must steer tailor-made interventions emphasizing social dialog and coalitions driving policy outreach and success to enhance feelings of personal responsibility to answer - “How to act – Whom to be?”.

Rural youth are influenced by a wide range of uncertainties regarding their personal and professional development. Rural youth and in particular rural NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training) are especially vulnerable and face higher risks of labour market, social and economic exclusion. This paper aims to analyse the determinants of the dynamics of rural NEETs in three post-transitional countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia) compared to the EU-28 average and to Ireland as an example of an established EU member state with over 50% of its population living in rural areas that can act as a benchmark for effective policy implementation to address challenges of marginalized youth, during the 2009–2019 period. The dynamics of rural NEET status and the efficiency/adaptability of regional development policies are revealed through analysis of macro and socioeconomic factors as well as specific employment-related indicators disaggregated by gender and degree of urbanisation. The comparative analysis indicates deficiencies in regional development policies among post-transitional countries and the potential to adapt modern European practices and policies for improving the rural NEETs’ position.