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G
reek farming and stock-raising, which
until a few decades ago accounted for a
substantial portion of Greece's GDP,
has gone through fire and water, first shrinking
and then falling into oblivion, only to be revived
today, offering new growth prospects.
A recent survey that was carried out by the
polling firm Kappa Research in Attica and
Thessalonica, and recorded the trends of the
past two years, is rather enlightening, since it
reveals a major shift in the norms of Greek
society. It is estimated that almost 1 to 1,5 mil-
lion people are planning a return to the coun-
tryside.
According to the survey, Greeks are increas-
ingly going back to the land and its cultivation.
Interestingly enough, most of those who opt for
an agricultural livelihood are young and highly
educated people, looking for a better quality of
life – even if this means that they will have to
do with reduced pay.
According to the survey, 68.2% of respondents
consider fleeing to the countryside, while 19.3%
have already taken specific steps. Almost half of
the people who wish to leave the city want to work
in agriculture (farming, stock-raising, fishing),
18.3% want to work in tourism-culture, 14.2% in
communication and new technologies, 11.8% in
education, 10.6% in energy and Renewable
Energy Sources, 7% in commerce, 6.7% in agro-
tourism, and 5.8% in catering services.
Almost two thirds of the people who wish to start
a new life in the countryside are highly educated.
More specifically, 25.4% are holders of postgrad-
uate degrees, 43% are University-Technological
Educational Institute graduates, 17.1% are voca-
tional training school graduates, while 8.2% are
upper secondary school and 1.2% are lower sec-
Trade with Greece
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