SWOT ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES IN BULGARIA: STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SWOT ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES IN BULGARIA: STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Summary/Abstract: Agricultural cooperatives in Bulgaria play a critical role in rural development, serving as essential intermediaries in integrating fragmented agricultural practices with broader market structures and European Union (EU) policies. Historically, these cooperatives transitioned from community-driven associations to state-managed entities during socialism, facing subsequent challenges during Bulgaria's post-socialist land restitution period. Today's cooperatives are navigating significant complexities, including governance deficiencies, demographic challenges, and inadequate financial resources. Nevertheless, they possess crucial strengths such as established infrastructure, experience with the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP),and vital community roles. This research employs a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis framework to comprehensively assess Bulgarian agricultural cooperatives' strategic positioning. Empirical data, gathered via surveys and focus groups with cooperative stakeholders, underline cooperatives' capabilities in aggregating production and facilitating collective access to CAP subsidies. Yet, persistent weaknesses remain, notably land fragmentation, internal governance inefficiencies, and limited financial accessibility. Opportunities exist in sustainability-oriented CAP reforms, digital and precision agriculture innovations, and expanding markets for organic produce. Conversely, significant threats include environmental uncertainties, increasing administrative complexities, global market volatility, and competition from larger-scale agribusinesses. To overcome these challenges, targeted policy interventions are recommended, focusing on governance transparency, financial innovation tailored to cooperative models, capacity-building, technological adoption, and enhanced youth engagement. Such measures could enhance the cooperative sector's resilience, innovation capacity, and overall contribution to sustainable rural development in Bulgaria.

• Details
• Contents