The Contribution of Cheese Making Factories to Sustainable Local Development: The Case of Elassona

Mitoula Roido, Theodoropoulou Eleni, Georgitsogianni Evangelia, Balanika Fani
(Harokopio University, Greece)

Abstract: In the present paper we have examined the contribution of the cheese making factories to the sustainable local development, which is to say if the local cheese making factories industries contribute to the development of a certain region. We have chosen the municipality of Elassona, which is a region of a great development in livestock and it has a lot of dairy industries, as a great amount of the “feta” (30%) is produced in this region. In the next part of the dissertation a sampling research of 15 questionnaires for entrepreneurs took place and another one of 238 questionnaires for employees in a number of dairies The results showed that some of the variables relating to sex, family condition and age correlate to the local sustainable with (R² = 73.4%). Moreover, employment in dairies increases their income with (R² = 57.9%). A percentage of 97% of the employees believe that the sustainable development contributes to the local development. Moreover, employment in the cheese making factories increases their income. Finally, there is an impact, which is that employment in the dairy endangers employees’ health, which is explained that a rate of 68.90% answered that they are in danger (R² = 19.8). As a conclusion, the contribution of the cheese making factories in the sustainable agricultural development is of great importance in relation to the promotion of the agricultural products, as well as the use of the local livestock.

Key words: sustainable local development; dairy; cheese making factories; Elassona

JEL code: R11