The population in SR Serbia is in the third phase of deagrarianization as seen
by the sudden decrease of farmers, deformation of the age and sex structure and
the sharp fall of the natural increase. The excess of men, especially middle age
men, and the absence of an ageing process are the main characteristics of the non-
-farming population. In contrast, the farming population has an excess of women,
mainly older women, with a very progressive ageing process.
The mortality rate of farmers is higher, while the fertility rate is significantly
lower than the remaining population. Because of the complementary structure of
the farming and non-farming population one way heterogamy is very widespread:
farm girls marry non-farm boys. Because of the difference in age structure, the
active farming population is considerably older while the percentage of women in
the active farming population is higher.
The autonomous region of Kosovo has undergone the least amount of deagrarianization
— the farming population continues to grow. The very high natural
increase, mearly equal in the farming and non-farming population, represents a
demographic brake for deagrarianization among the Kosovo population.
The age and sex structure of the farming and non-farming population in Kosovo
is equal. It is of a progressive type an excess of men.
The difference between the age and sex structure of the farming and non-farming
population is the greatest in Serbia proper. The process of deagrarianization
has affected the low natural increase among the farmers.
The autonomous region of Vojvodina has the least amount of farmers, the
oldest population and an excess of women. However some characteristic differences
between the farmers and non-farmers are less noted in Vojvodina than in Serbia
proper. One may conclude that the early process of deagrarization disturbs
the relatively homogenous structure of the agrarian population. Later, however,
the demographic and social differences between farmers and non-farmers decrease.
Differences in the activity level of the male population in the three regions
of Serbia, which vary is development, can be explained by the: a) age structure
b) ratio between farming and non-farming population and c) relationship between
growth and activity. However sharp differences between the active female population
in the three regions of Serbia are neither associated with the age structure
nor with the ratio between the farming and non-farming population, but rather
are conditioned by specific social and cultural factors
