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Abstract
The goal of the TOPMARD project is to develop a model of agriculture and rural development to
better understand the agronomic, ecological, economic and social dimensions of rural regions. The
resulting model, (Policy Model of Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development) was built
collaboratively and hierarchically by the research teams from the 11 countries. The model features
eight subsectors (Land, Agriculture, Tourism, Region, Human Resources, Non-commodities, Capital,
and Quality of Life). Imbedded in the model are a complete dynamic input-output model, and an agecohort
education demographic model. The model has both supply-side and demand-side drivers. Land
use is the key supply-side driver. Land use, coupled with production system choices, determine
agricultural and non-commodity outputs. The Quality of Life sector incorporates the coefficients from
a regression analysis of migration behaviour to develop a supply-side population response to local
quality of life which is added to the demand-side response to job growth.