La Juventud Rural en el desarrollo local. Estudio de Caso Rural. Youth in the local development. Study Case

Abstract

This paper is associated to the project of "Sociology in the Management of Local Development" of the Department of Sociology of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Universidad de Oriente. The current population dynamics and perspective of Cuba, with a population aging process that reaches 19.8% corresponding to group III, that is, more than 15% of people aged 60 and over and with a decrease of individuals from 0 to 14 years; it places young people between 17 and 29 years old, part of the economically active population, as a decisive age group in local development, in urban and rural areas. The objective of this study is to develop theoretical and methodological foundations for the assessment of the role of rural youth in local development, with emphasis on the task of raising food security as a way to reduce hunger and poverty. It is concluded that rural youth presents a heterogeneity of both gender and complexity in their needs and interests that requires specific attention that contributes to raising their sense of belonging to the rural social space. A triangulated methodological strategy was used and the theoretical foundation was based on the conceptions of Michelle Foucault and Max Neef.