Transformation of rural settlemetns and rural housing improvement in Serbia

Abstract

Rural settlements in Serbia are in a crisis on many bases: decrease in the number of population, with age structure changes, loss of identity, lack of organization, poor public transport infrastructure and accessibility, small amount of investments in the development due to the lack of planning regulation and development programs. Depending on the area, the village needs to undergo transformation in a number of segments: diversification of the land holding size starting from the large agricultural combines through the medium-sized and in the end small producers; restructuring the network of rural settlements; development of smaller production capacities associated in systems; renewal of the cooperation in the areas with fragmented land holdings; realization of the communal order and equipment; improvement of the production technology along with the expected reduction in the number of inhabitants. The key is to accept that the village has to undergo significant transformation in all segments in order to become comfortable enough for dwelling both in terms of individual households and in terms of satisfying the social and collective needs of the community. The methods should be aimed at long-term plan action with the aim of balancing living standards and achieving direct communication village-city. In this paper, the regional specificities within Serbia and in Serbia as a whole are analyzed, recognizing the development trends and the need for change in the development of rural settlements.