George Alexopoulos

The Financing of Extension Services: A Survey Among Rural Youth in Greece

Abstract Since its establishment in the early 1950s, the Greek Extension Service has undergone considerable changes. Especially after 1981, a bureaucratic–administrative role related to the implementation of the CAP has been undertaken. In parallel, in the international scene, governments have started experimenting with various cost-recovery mechanisms for extension. In front of such challenges, at both national and international levels, the current work intends to explore the willingness of young rural inhabitants to pay for advisory services. Drawing data from a large-scale survey and utilising probit analysis, the decomposition of the marginal effects of a series demographic, socioeconomic and spatial characteristics and information needs upon willingness to pay for extension is presented. The results show that under preconditions cost-recovery mechanisms may be employed in Greece; furthermore, it is argued that the Extension Service has to be restructured–reoriented.

Adoption and Use of ICTs among Rural Youth: Evidence from Greece

In the last few decades, within the rhetoric of the “information age†, there is a growing enthusiasm for the (potential) benefits of the dissemination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is further enhanced through eGovernment projects undertaken on a worldwide scale. However, a number of issues seem to defy such optimism as far as rural areas are concerned. The critical review of such issues question the thesis that ICTs undoubtedly benefit (human) development. In particular, this paper, drawing on data from a large-scale survey in Greece, identifies the marginal effects of a series of demographic, socioeconomic and spatial characteristics, and information sources on PC and Internet use on the part of young rural inhabitants, especially farmers. The results, pointing toward an emerging intra-rural digital divide, are consequently discussed vis-A -vis eGovernment projects, from the point of view of human development.

Exploring Organic Cherry Investment Opportunities for Greek Farmers

Organic farming has grown rapidly in the European Union (EU) due to a rising demand for high-quality food, increased environmental concerns and market developments that led to the implementation of an organic policy and the creation of a positive institutional framework. Nevertheless, the production of organic fruit, including cherries, is still limited within the EU, despite high demand. Farmers generally adopt organic farming systems only if the support provided by the existing policy regime outweighs the increased risk and uncertainty. This study explores the effectiveness of current policy measures for the production of organic cherries in Greece using a real options methodology. The results reveal that the economic incentives provided by the existing policy regime contribute to profitability and compensate for the risk and uncertainty that organic cherry farmers face, although further institutional support is still needed.