10 Years of EU Membership: Diverging Performances in New Member States Agriculture

Author(s): Attila Jambor,Miklós SOMAI,Sándor Kovács / Language(s): English / Issue: 05/2016

More than 10 years have passed since the 2004 accession round to the European Union. The tenth anniversary provides a good opportunity for stocktaking and assessing the agricultural developments of the New Member States (NMS) in light of the latest data available. The aim of this paper is to assess agricultural performances of NMS and to identify the winners and losers of accession in this regard. By ranking individual country performances using Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC), our results suggest that Poland and the Baltic countries can be treated as the winners of EU accession in agriculture, while Romania and Bulgaria proved to have used their potentials to the least. Results also suggest that focusing on high value added agri-food products proved to be a good strategy to reach development in the agriculture sector, while those countries concentrating on the production of agri-food raw materials turned out to be lagged behind.

5. MEĐUNARODNI ZNANSTVENI SIMPOZIJ GOSPODARSTVO ISTOČNE HRVATSKE – VIZIJA I RAZVOJ

Author(s): Katica Križanovic / Language(s): Croatian / Issue: 2/2016

A birtokviszonyok hatása Magyarország gabonamérlegére a 19. század első felében

Author(s): József Glósz / Language(s): Hungarian / Publication Year: 0

A Dairy Cooperative in the Making: History, Ethnicity and Local Culture in an Economic Enterprise

Author(s): Árpád Töhötöm Szabó / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2015

The paper presents the case study of a newly launched – or re-launched – dairy cooperative in Szeklerland, and investigates how different layers of local traditions, new views of rurality and new roles of peasantry, as well as ethnic struggles interplayed in its formation and functioning. While the cooperative can primarily be perceived as a local economic institution, its analysis offers the possibility to shed a new light on the connections between different levels in agri-businesses and on the different, seemingly non-economic factors acting from the background. The cooperative was launched in 2012 within a favorable framework of other local, ethnic initiatives, but it is seen as the successor of a successful cooperative that was nationalized in 1948. Two strong historical experiences shaped its launching: the successes of cooperatives before WWII and the failures and negative impacts of cooperatives during socialism. The investigation can unfold the ways how these discursive strategies, the emergence of new rural elite, the restructuring of agriculture, the idea of autonomy and a sort of ethnic economy gave impetus or impeded the functioning of the cooperative and its shift from subsistence to market.

A Framework for Assessing Sustainability of Farming Enterprises

Author(s): Hrabrin Bachev / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

This paper gives an answer to two important questions: „what is sustainability of farming enterprises?“ and „how to assess sustainability of farming enterprises?“. First, major shortcomings of dominating approaches for assessment of sustainability of farming enterprises like individual and family farms, agro- companies, agro- cooperatives etc. are summarized, and the needs for improvement underlined. Second, evolution of the “concept” and the major approaches for assessing sustainability of farming enterprises is discussed. More adequate definition of the farming enterprise’s sustainability is suggested as ability of a particular form to maintain its governance, economic, social and ecological functions in a long term. Finally, a specific for the conditions of Bulgarian agriculture framework for assessing sustainability of farming enterprises is proposed. The later includes a system of appropriate principles, criteria, indicators, and reference values for evaluating governance, economic, ecological and social aspects of farming enterprise’s sustainability as well as an approach for their integration and interpretation. The ultimate objective of this study is to work out an effective framework for assessing sustainability of farming enterprises of different type in the specific economic, institutional and natural environment, assist farm and agro- business management and strategies, and agricultural policies and forms of public intervention in agrarian sector.

A két világháború közti román földbirtokrendezés

Author(s): Ákos Bartha / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 06/2012

This paper anatomizes the Romanian agrarian reform based on the law of July 1921. The Romanian lordship-policy was highly represented in the public life of Romania and Hungary, as well as in the intergovernmental relationships between these countries after 1921. Despite these, the complex picture of the reform was not completely represented, as the main focus was on Transylvania in Hungary. With a short glance on the historical background, the essay reviews the realisation of national, social, economical and political aspects in different regions. After World War II, the communist regimes of both countries avoided honest dialogue. For this very reason we intend to provide a new interpretation of the motivations and the procedure of the managements, involving sources from The National Archives of Hungary, other contemporary writings, periodicals and international studies. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the variety of arguments, comments and the most important results of the agrarian reform.

A közösség által támogatott mezőgazdaság vizsgálata a termelők vonatkozásában

Author(s): Balog Árpád / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 3-4/2016

A logistics model of sustainable food supply of the region

Author(s): Igor Vorotnikov,Irina Sukhanova,Larisa Tretyak,Sergey Baskakov / Language(s): English / Issue: 3-4/2017

Introduction. The problem of sustainable food supply is connected with the optimisation of the distribution of food flows and determined by the quantity of food in terms of per capita consumption, energy value and availability of nutrients. The purpose of the article is to develop a logistics model of sustainable food supply in the region and test it on the example of Saratov region of Russia. Methods. In the process of economic-mathematical modelling, the authors used econometric and logistics methods. Results. The article describes the authors’ approach to building local food systems. A two-level model of demand for food products was substantiated. The conducted calculations of the indicators of sustainability of the local food systems of Saratov region for the most important types of food products show that three local food systems centred in towns of Kalininsk, Novouzensk and Ershov are fully food self-sufficient. The local food systems of the towns of Volsk, Balashov and Balakovo have difficulties in the matters of self-sufficiency in meat products; and the local food systems of the city of Saratov and the town of Engels have to import meat and milk in order to have quality and sustainable provision of the population with such products. Conclusions. The use of the logistics approach allows us to develop a universal algorithm for the assessment of the overall sustainability of food supply of the region, consider the impact of transportation costs on food consumption by the population, substantiate the rational logistics and delivery routes of agricultural production for its further processing, which will increase the overall sustainability of food supply in a particular region

A Mátra-alja mezőgazdasága a kataszteri iratok tükrében

Author(s): József Kozári / Language(s): Hungarian / Publication Year: 0

A napszámtól a bérmunkáig: a mezőgazdasági idénymunka változó formái egy kelet-magyarországi példán keresztül

Author(s): András Vigvári / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 1/2016

Through a community study carried out in a settlement in Eastern Hungary, my study aims to present the integrating role of various agricultural part-time works in local societies. This paper explores the way in which different agricultural factory forms and employer-employee relationships influence the structural and ethnical layering in local societies, as well as the forms of integration they offer to members of local societies. My case study aims to shed light on the way ongoing macro-social processes shape Hungarian rural areas and, in particular, on the way they transform social and ethnical relations in local societies.

A SOCIAL MARKETING FRAMEWORK FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION: THE CASE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN INDIA

Author(s): SHUBHOMOY BANERJEE,Vanita Yadav,SOUMI CHATTERJEE BANERJEE / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2016

Agriculture is the mainstay in developing economies and is a major source of livelihood for a large portion of the world’s population. The field of agriculture and agribusiness has moved towards diversification, commercialization and sustainability. There is a crying need to protect the environment while improving global food security and building social capital in rural areas. As a result, it has become significant that new technologies and innovations in agriculture be disseminated to farmers so that they gain knowledge about innovations while ensuring their use in the ways originally intended. Agricultural Extension has an important role to play in this changing scenario of agriculture, business and policy. The objective of the paper is to propose a framework for new technology adoption in the context of agricultural extension using the lens of the theory of planned behavior and concepts of social marketing. The paper first presents a review of literature on the Training and Visit System and the Private system of agricultural extension and uncovers its drawbacks. As a potential solution to the existing inefficient systems, a social marketing framework for new technology adoption in agricultural extension is proposed using a case study of Agricultural Technology Management Agency in India. Findings from the case suggest that inclusion of a marketing component along with the existing educational approach to extension is likely to increase adoption of new technology and helps farmers overcome factors like input or market unavailability. It also helps in need based targeting rather than adopting a one-size fits all approach.

A Study on Sustainability of Agricultural Farms in Bulgaria

Author(s): Hrabrin Bachev / Language(s): English / Issue: 5/2017

The issue of assessment of sustainability of agricultural farms is among the most topical for researchers, farmers, investors, administrators, politicians, interests groups and public at large. Despite that practically there are no assessments on sustainability level of Bulgarian farms in conditions of European Union Common Agricultural Policy implementation. This article applies a holistic framework and assesses sustainability of Bulgarian farm as a whole and of different juridical type, size, production specialization, and ecological and geographical location. Initially the method of the study is outlined, and overall characteristics of surveyed agricultural holdings presented. After that an assessment is made of integral, governance, economic, social, environmental sustainability of farms in general and of different type and location. Finally, factors for improving sustainability of Bulgarian farms are identified, and directions for further research and amelioration of farm management and public intervention in the sector suggested.

About Regional Economic Thought

Author(s): Avtandil Silagadze / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

Georgia is a small country but it is one of the ancient states in the world that has its unique alphabet. Unfortunately, a considerable part of its territory has been occupied. The country lacks the experience in building the market economy. Interesting economic thoughts originated in Georgia in various historical epochs, which still deserve close attention. In particular, the feudal age in Georgia gave way to multiple economic thoughts that are still significant these days. One of them is a Code of Laws of Beka and Agbug (XIII-XIV cc.) published in Georgian, which, first of all, covers the issues of regional governance. Some mercantilist ideas expressed in the Code precede the creation of the School of Mercantilism. The Code is an important historical source for market economy researchers, because it determined several essential issues of the economy in general, and agriculture, industry and financial-credit relations, in particular. The Code includes several noteworthy opinions concerning the possibility to hire a labour force and labour remuneration, which to some extent was an innovation for the thinking of that age. Economic ideas expressed in one of the important written sources of Georgian (and not only Georgian) economic thinking correspond not only to regional interests, but to the national and, in some instances, broader scale interests. The Code was created for one of the oldest regions of Georgia which was of particular strategic, spiritual and economic significance for the country. In spite of certain independence, the region always acted in favour of national interests of the country. In this light, the Code of Laws analyzed in this article is one of the valuable written sources about mercantilism (even long before its foundation), the first doctrine of economic development of society, and certain elements of market economy doctrines.

Acidita zrážok a jej dynamika vo vŕbovom ekosystéme

Author(s): Ján Machava,Jaroslav Demko,Gabriela Hrklová,Eduard Bublinec / Language(s): Slovak / Issue: 2/2018

The work was aimed at monitoring the chemistry of precipitation after passing through the willow ecosystem. Precipitation samples were evaluated for 2 years. Most of the observed rainfall was acidic. The highest acidity of precipitation was recorded in an open area in continuous open collector (pH = 5.51). The lowest acidity was measured at throughfall willow ecosystem (pH = 5.77). Chemical analyzes of atmospheric precipitation have shown a slight increase in acidity. The great extremity of values (3.72 to 7.04) was found in pH results collected over the course of two years. According to the precipitation scale, the lower extreme pH falls to very acidic and the upper value to a neutral range. The lowest bottom pH was recorded in December in the open collector and the highest upper value in November in the same colletor. Except for actual acidity, the extremity of values has certainly a negative impact on the stability of forest and soil ecosystems. As for the individual annual periods, most acidic precipitation fell in the winter to the part-covering collector. In other seasons, precipitation were less acidic. The average pH values in individual seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) have occurred in the interval from 5.22 to 5.83 in the part-covering collector (K1), 5,01 – 5.81 in the opened collector (K2) and 5,32 – 6.00 in the collector in the willow ecosystem (K3). At assessing the resulting pH in the individual collectors, it can be concluded that the acidity of precipitation has not changed significantly. This natural relation is also confirmed by the average figures for the whole period. All average pH values lie in a slightly acidic region.

Actual Aspects of Cadaster Relations in the Monitoring System of Land and Rural Areas

Author(s): Aksana A. TSARENKO,Irina V. SCHMIDT*,Vladimir A. TARBAEV / Language(s): English / Issue: 1(17)/2017

The article is devoted to topical issues of land cadastral relations in the organization of the system of lands and rural areas monitoring. It presents a new model developed by the authors of the management system of lands and rural areas monitoring in the sphere of cadastral relations. The study is based on the methods of scientific research: systemic, geoinformational and statistical method. The modern complex approach to managing monitoring measures, suggested by the authors, will favor the right development of the conception of conducting monitoring. Strategic monitoring model makes it possible to organize work at a high technological level and moreover to achieve key results avoiding many problems and mistakes. The model is expressed through an organizational and strategic scheme-model that promotes effective work management and reliable data collection. The article also examines the issues influencing the development of the whole conception of the state and political system in the field of land cadastre relations. Solutions to the problems of technological and methodological support of the formation of modern interactive databases and the application of GIS technology, developed by the authors, give an opportunity to conduct deep integrated strategic monitoring of lands and rural areas in the sphere of cadastral relations.

Advancing the convergence and integration of rural border areas

Author(s): Mykhailo Hazuda,Victoriya Gotra,Lesya Hazuda / Language(s): English / Issue: 11-12/2016

The article touches upon the need for greater convergence and integration in order to provide economic converge and alignment of regional economies, in particular in rural border areas, which is based primarily on effective functioning of the priority areas and implementation of economic activities. The authors have conducted a rating evaluation in terms of GDP (GRP) per capita of the western border regions of Ukraine (Transcarpathian, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Chernivtsi regions) and border areas of the neighbouring countries (Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary). The study confirms that the border areas of Slovakia, Hungary and Poland differ favourably from the studied regions of other neighbouring Romania, and especially Ukraine, in terms of socio-economic development. The authors have studied European approaches to forming agricultural policy and sustainable rural development, consideration of which will facilitate the deepening revitalisation processes convergence and integration of rural border areas of Ukraine, as well as the competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises and their access to the European market. EU Common Agricultural Policy towards 2020 and the Strategy of Development of the Agricultural Sector for the Period until 2020 adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine were considered in the research in order to provide effective mechanism of sectoral and territorial integration of the rural border areas. The conclusions have been formulated as follows. Ensuring convergence and integration of regional economic systems in accordance with the level the socio-economic development and compliance with environmental tenets of sustainable development is conditioned by the further integration into the European structures. In the long term, the actual task for Ukraine is to develop and adopt a new strategy of interregional and international cooperation, including integration and cooperation between the western border regions of Ukraine and the neighbouring countries, such as Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, in the field of socio-economic activities and environmental protection. Such an approach will lead to finding solutions to the problems of agricultural development as an important component of sustainable rural development. Convergence and integration of rural border areas will help to build a sustainable living environment with further enhancement of the local population well-being and prosperity.

Affordability of food as a key condition of food security of households

Author(s): Ruslan Mudrak,Yuriy Tsymbalyuk,Larisa Fytsyk,Chin-Hong Puah / Language(s): English / Issue: 11-12/2017

Introduction. An analysis of available statistical information gives grounds to assert that the right of a significant number of Ukrainian citizens to adequate and affordable food is systematically violated. We mean those people who are in the state of constant food insecurity due to excessive costs required to purchase food. The problem of food security of the population, and thus food safety, has deep social background. Food insecurity, viewed as a lack of food safety, is inextricably linked with another equally pressing problem which is poverty. The purpose of the research is to find evidence that excessive costs that Ukrainian households spend on purchasing food (objectively as well as in comparison with the other countries) is an obvious sign that they are in a state of food insecurity and to conduct a critical analysis of the official boundary value indicator of affordability of food as a key condition of food security of Ukraine. Results and Conclusion. Poverty is the root cause of malnutrition and hunger. According to the methodology developed by the United Nations, about 78% of the population in Ukraine was below the line of poverty in the second half of 2016. The poverty of the Ukrainian population automatically generates the problem of food affordability: the value of the affordability of products indicator did not fall below 50% in the period from 1999 to 2016 (except for 2008). The 60% regulatory limit of the value of the affordability of products indicator is unreasonably high. This is confirmed by the comparative analysis of the practical experience of food security of the population and the methodology for determining the threshold of food affordability in other countries and international organisations.

AGRARIAN ENTERPRISES – A NEW MANIFESTATION OF SOCIAL FARMING

Author(s): Radka Nenova / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2014

The importance of the social-economic sector has increased regardingboth the European and the national economy. Its future development andimprovement is among the priorities of the EU’s common policy. Someaspects of the social economy which are related to the characterisation of theconcept of social enterprise, its regulations and conditions for its functioningrepresent a topic for discussion and are a subject of scientific interest in thispaper.The study focuses on the possibility of combining some of the featuresof social enterprises with those of conventional farms. As a result, a model hasbeen developed for the operation of socially-oriented agrarian enterprises inBulgaria.

Agrarian processing industry as a guarantor of food security in the region

Author(s): Olga Emelyanova,Oksana Mihaylova / Language(s): English / Issue: 11-12/2017

The article singles out various clusters of EU geopolitical subjects for food production. The research touches upon the ranking carried out on the basis of the share of processed goods in the structure of the EU, which makes it possible to assess the contribution to ensuring the food security of the members of the Union. Seven indicators of the production of processed goods in 2016 were selected for the current analysis. As a result, the authors of the article have identified and analysed geopolitical subjects that determine the stability of the EU agricultural production, namely the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Sweden and others. It has been noted that opportunities for industrial cooperation and development of coordinated policies on various areas of interaction are increasing within the framework of the associations.

Agrarinių teritorijų planavimo teisiniai ir metodiniai aspektai

Author(s): Audrius Aleknavicius,Marius Aleknavicius / Language(s): Lithuanian / Issue: 2/2017

Agricultural land protection and its improvement of use after a land reform are analyzed in this article. The main task of this research is to analyze legal acts which regulate the planning of land use and landscape management in rural territories and provide proposals for its improvement. Farming lands with fertile soils are an exceptional natural resource which needs to be saved and improved by limiting the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use. Laws should define a compensation for the decreasing area of farming lands as defined for forest land conversion to other use. It is recommended to prepare land management planning documents where perspective boundaries of farms are formed and possibilities to increase farming land area by converting abandoned land or other land plots with fertile soil. Preparation of land management schemes should be connected with agricultural land purchase regulation and rural development land management projects should be linked with state support measures for farms development and protection of rural landscape.