Liberalisation of the labour market is resulting in greater flexibility in the supply of agricultural workers, which is particularly noticeable within the European Union. The aim of the study is to identify the causes that have led to a decrease in the number of jobs in agriculture, given that it is a basic activity for rural inhabitants in Romania. In order to identify the causes that contributed to the decrease in the number of jobs in agriculture, the data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively, using two statistical methods to describe the variability between the observed elements: factor analysis and Pearson coefficient. The results of the study indicate that the degree of mechanisation leads to better land use, bringing considerable increases in yields. At the same time, the degree of mechanisation leads to a decrease in the need for manual (unskilled) labour, as many activities are now automated.

Keywords : Labour Force; Agriculture; Rural; Mechanisation.