Pluriactivity as a livelihood strategy in Irish farm households and its role in rural development

Within the European Union, Ireland is one of the countries that has a veri high number of farms where the farm operator and/or spouse works outside th e family farm. The role of off-farm employment in the viability of Irish fa rm households is central to both farming and the sustainability of rural co mmunities. This article examines the importance of pluriactive farm househo lds at both local and regional levels by refering to cases studies drawn Fr om the West of Ireland. It shows that off-farm work by Irish farm families is neither a new phenomenon nor purely the result of economic necessity. It also indicates the considerable socio-economic and environmental importanc e of pluriactivity. The article concludes by relating the realities of plur iactivity to the future rural and agricultural policy of the European Union . It suggests that the growing role of pluriactivity for farm households sh ould be viewed more as a key strategy in the maintenance of a 'living count ryside' than as an indicator of conventional agriculture's failure to susta in farming populations.