Rural and agricultural development has for a long time been one of the top priorities in European as well as Swedish development policies. Until now, the trend in the agricultural and the food sector leans towards a centralization and rationalization at farm and industry level caused by modernization and globalization. Consequently, the number of people engaged in agriculture and food production has declined dramatically leading to depopulation of rural areas. Reverting the negative trend in agricultural and rural population, mainly through the survival of small scale rural entrepreneurs, became a political goal, not only to stop the depopulation of rural areas, but also as a potential source of new, post-industrial jobs, improving the quality of life of the population and reducing the risks related to large scale food production. In other parts of Europe farmers reinforced and strengthened rural and agricultural development by linking the territory, culinary traditions and local production. The elaboration and certification of value-added traditional food led to the articulation of strong local agrifood systems. In counties like Spain, France and Austria the development of culinary traditions in relation to territory and local production managed to protect work opportunities and to promote entrepreneurship in rural areas. However, in Sweden local and regional actors have not used these opportunities in the same degree (Gratzer et al 2010).

This paper focuses on the potential of: Local agrifod systems and gastronomy as potential for regional development in the region of Jämtland in northern Sweden. The main question is can: Local agrifod systems in the diary business in Jämtland secure local employment and keep rural communities alive.To illuminate the problems at stake requires several methods. In this paper the research design is based on data collected through interviews with farmers in Jämtland and representatives from the national centre for small-scale food and craftsmanship eldrimner.

A preliminary conclusion is that: Local agrifod systems might be one way to secure local employment and keep rural communities alive but it needs other factors as well..