From the beginning of the last decade demographic situation in Lithuania has been changing substantially. Degradation of demographic processes as well as negative impact on labor resources are generally determined by migration processes, especially those of young people. Negative implications of such tendencies are already significant to demographic processes and the quality of labor sources, and in the future these tendencies may become even more vigorous. The processes that are being discussed endanger the succession of farming traditions, the creation of public goods as well as the vitality of rural areas, and that makes the demand to promote quality of human resources notably relevant.
The promotion of entrepreneurship of rural inhabitants is becoming prevailing in the EU (European Union) programmes, committed to support agriculture and rural development, also in the national support measures. One of the important elements of entrepreneurship is willingness and ability to use EU support, which is intented to ensure vitality of rural areas.
The entrepreneurship of rural inhabitants depends not exclusively on the separate support programmes or on the endeavour of state agencies, but also on their own desire to be competitive in the market and to improve their life quality. Due to the increased significance of initiative as well as innovation primarily young educated rural inhabitants share better oportunities to undertake individual business.
Scientific problem. Scientists have not yet analized the safeguarding of positive tendencies of rural development, the competitiveness of rural regions and stabilization of migration processes there, the efficiency of assimilation of EU support for rural development, the expression of entrepreneurship of young rural inhabitants, its level and determining factors, in the context of entrepreneurial competencies and capacities.
The aim of research - to identify the level of young rural inhabitants involvement in assimilation of EU support for rural development and to evaluate factors determining this involvement.
Quantitative and qualitative scientific research methods were used in this research: systematic analysis of scientific literature and rural development policy was performed, methods of graphic depiction, induction and deduction, statistical analysis as well as comparative method were used. Activity of youth and factors determining this activity were evaluated using structured interviews.
A concept and features of young rural inhabitants‘ entrepreneurship were explored in this study; level of youth involvement in the implementation of Rural Development Programme for Lithuania 2007-2013 was evaluated, applying rates of EU support assimilation and analysing through different sections of gender equality, sustainable development and regional development. Following methodology framed namely for this research, a structured opinion survey about youth participation in the processes of life quality and landscape improvement, environmental conservation, agricultural competitiveness increase as well as in the rural communal activities was performed. According to the results of survey, factors influencing youth involvement in the processes of rural development were identified, conclusions and proposals for improving the implementation of Rural Development Programme for Lithuania 2007-2013 were formulated in order to achieve a higher level of youth involvement.