A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RURAL MODERNISATION IN ROMANIA AND MOLDOVA, EXAMINING THE CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PATHS
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RURAL MODERNISATION IN ROMANIA AND MOLDOVA, EXAMINING THE CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PATHS

Summary/Abstract: The study analyses the dynamics of rural sustainability in Romania and Moldova, focusing on the interrelationsbetween the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of agricultural development. Using the Integrated RuralSustainability Transition Model (IRSTM) and entropy-based composite indices, the research evaluates the evolutionof rural systems over the period 2014–2023. The results reveal an asymmetric transition toward sustainability:Romania demonstrates a consolidated trajectory supported by structural modernisation and institutional integrationwithin the European framework, while Moldova displays a more fragmented and vulnerable pattern, constrained bylimited resources and structural inefficiencies. The comparative analysis highlights that economic growth alone isinsufficient to ensure sustainability without improvements in ecological efficiency and social cohesion. The model’sentropy weighting confirms the robustness of the results and the internal balance between the three sustainabilitypillars. The findings underline the importance of coherent multi-level governance, investment in human capital andinfrastructure, and the promotion of territorial innovation to enhance resilience and accelerate the sustainabilitytransition in Eastern European rural regions.

• Details
• Contents