Green Care in Austria. Regional Economic Significance and Future Prospects

In the Rural Development Programme, measures have been established to support farms in developing business areas that go beyond the production of agricultural commodities. This also includes support in the provision of social services. These are developed and marketed in Austria under the name "Green Care". Through the association "Green Care Österreich", 170 Green Care services were offered in 2020 on 113 farms, 58 of which are externally certified. This study provides an overview of the regional economic effects of these services. Measured against the currently still manageable number of farms, the regional economic effects are noteworthy both in terms of value added and employment. The report also sheds light on the perspectives of social services in rural areas and presents data on social infrastructure and demographic development.