27

A decrease in the active agricultural population, the ageing of the entire population, and a loss of vitality (attractiveness, quality of life) and social cohesion are all features observed in rural areas since the 1970s. The disintegration and recomposition of rural areas led the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), which is the second largest social protection regime in France, to widen its policy of social action from the 1980s onwards. The policy moved from an exclusive focus on agricultural groups to a policy dealing with the many social problems created by these changes. The social and health services of the MSA now perform a mission of individual and community social work, social engineering, and social development projects.