Raw diamonds of love: This is how Emily is looking for her luck in the village!

Raw diamonds of love: This is how Emily is looking for her luck in the village!

An example of life in rural areas provides 19-year-old Emily from the 200-soul village of Treböhla in northern Saxony. She trains as a carpenter and appreciates the freedom that country life brings with it. Emily trains a youth team in her free time and is actively looking for a relationship. But the search for a partner is often difficult because gossip and neighboring interests play a role. Ralph Richter, city and regional sociologist, found out in his investigations that the low anonymity in rural areas often leads to problems in finding a partner, since traditional ideas and expectations prevail.

The challenges of rural living conditions

In Germany, about half of the population lives in rural areas. These villages and small and medium-sized cities shape the image of the rural regions. Villages are officially defined as rural group settlements of around 100 inhabitants, with the typical size between 1,000 and 1,500 people. However, many villages have lost their independence since the 1960s and have been incorporated into larger cities. The decline in agricultural workplaces and industrialization in the 19th century contributed to urbanization, while after the Second World War the traditional living conditions faltered, reinforced by the influx of refugees.

The fear of a total “dying” of the villages by emigration of young, well -trained people has so far proven to be unfounded. Instead, committed local politics and citizens' initiatives, such as in Wanfried, can help revitalize villages. Nevertheless, the creation of jobs and the preservation of infrastructures remains a central challenge.

demographic change and rural development

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has set itself the goal of strengthening rural regions and promoting innovative approaches to overcome the challenges of demographic change. Without immigration, the total population of Germany would shrink. Some rural regions have benefited from people who can work independently and digitally, which results in a dynamic influx. However, developments in rural regions are very different: some areas grow, while others are fighting with shrinkage processes.

The BMEL is much because of the results of funded projects and research-including the Thünen Institute, which deals with the effects of demographic change-to incorporate into political advice. Challenges in the areas of local supply, mobility and medical care are particularly taken into account. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that equivalent living conditions are created in rural and urban regions without striving for equalization.

The exchange and the encounter of generations, cultures and lifestyles are essential in rural areas. Initiatives to promote diversity and participation in volunteering are therefore of great importance. As in the case of Emily, whose encounter with Oli is documented as part of a blind date, the search for relationship and community is a central concern in rural areas.