Women's Cooperatives in less favored and mountainous areas under economic instability

Rural development policies in the last twenty years reinforced the development of new, alternative to agriculture, activities in the mountainous and less favored areas, such as agro tourism and small scale processing husbandries. In this context, a significant increase in the number of women's cooperatives founded in Greece was observed, aiming the improvement of women's position in small communities. This type of cooperatives, offers to women the opportunity for a supplementary income apart from their household engagements and activities in family farms. In the current study the role of such small scale women's cooperatives from the mountainous region of Florina area in orthern Greece is examined, along with their response in periods with economic instability. The survey performed showed that the cooperatives face viability problems, mainly due to the effects of the economic instability and the lack of new members. At the same time, a survey addressed to young people in the same area, indicated that young people have a positive attitude in participating in the activities of the cooperatives; though the cooperatives existence and activities were not well known in the area.