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Potential Changes in Land Use and Plant Production in Poland in the Context of Implementing the European Green Deal
The purpose of this paper is to identify the potential changes in agricultural land use in Poland as a consequence of implementing the European Green Deal, including its potential economic effects. The study covered crops of key importance to Polish agriculture, cultivated in a total area of 8.2 million ha, which accounts for more than 60% of land in good agricultural condition. The analyses were based on average values for 2016–2020 and used three scenarios for EGD implementation by 2030 (no EGD; partial implementation of the EGD; full implementation of the EGD). Each analysis took account of changes in the area of land under conventional, organic and precision farming systems. The study found that EGD requirements can be met by implementing the precision farming system, especially for intensive farming schemes like rape and sugar beet. Organic farming should be used either for extensively farmed cereals like oat or for fruits which are sold at higher prices when farmed organically. Another finding is that the full implementation of the EGD could decrease the production volume of key Polish crops by 13%, which can have important social impacts, such as increased prices of food products or a deterioration of food security.
Plant Protection and Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Farms in a Context of Overinvestment: A Case Study from Poland
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between plant protection and fertilizer use efficiency, on one side, and overinvestment in Polish agriculture, on the other. This is an important topic because of a number of essential issues, such as the concern for the environment, the development of sustainable agriculture, or the need to ensure food security which can only be achieved by keeping production volumes at least at the same level. Reconciling these goals often requires investment which, however, involves the risk of overinvesting, i.e., a situation where the value of assets grows without a proportional increment in labor productivity. This paper uses the author’s own method of farm classification by overinvestment level. The study revealed some differences in the cost intensity of fertilizing and using plant-protection products between investment levels. The most rational results were found in farms at optimum investment levels, whereas the greatest cost intensity was recorded in farms affected by overinvestment.
Organic Farming as a Driver of Environmental Benefits or the Other Way Around? Environmental Conditions vs. Organic Farming Development in the EU with Particular Focus on Poland
Organic farming takes on particular importance in the context of implementing the sustainable development concept as it combines environmentally safe farming methods with (as a general assumption) producing pollution-free food. Hence, environmental conditions might play a role in determining the development pace of that type of farming. The key objective of this paper is therefore to identify the scope and direction of multidimensional relationships between the development level of organic farming and environmental conditions. This was performed with the canonical analysis. The research process included the structuring of the authors’ own synthetic metrics used in assessing the condition of the environment and the development level of organic farming. The study covered European Union countries and all 380 Polish districts (Poland is one of the very few Union members where organic farming development is currently inconsistent with the expected trends adopted under the Common Agricultural Policy). It follows from the analyses that when the variables relating to environmental conditions are known, they can explain only less than 10% of variance in the set of variables used in describing the development level of Polish organic farming. In turn, the analysis at Union level suggests that a positive—but not stronger than moderate—correlation exists between the two phenomena.
Use of Union Funds in Developing Agricultural Entrepreneurship between 2014 and 2020 in Poland
The purpose of this paper was to examine the differences in using agricultural entrepreneurship support and how it relates to characteristics such as the agrarian structure, socioeconomic development level, and land use across the Polish territory. The analyses were carried out at the district (poviat) level which is an intermediate administrative unit. This study found that the decisions on co-financing the measures dedicated to non-agricultural economic activity heavily depended on the agrarian structure. The highest levels of activity were witnessed in districts where the agrarian structure was particularly fragmented.
Reasons Behind Differences in the Use of the “Carbon Farming and Nutrient Management” Eco-Scheme Across the Polish Territory
Today, there is an ongoing discourse on the notion of carbon farming on an international scale. The underlying factors contributing to this phenomenon are numerous. Firstly, the degradation of intensively farmed soils is increasing, and secondly, there is a clear need to restore their biodiversity. A multitude of pollutants stemming from agricultural production have incited the implementation of targeted measures, notably by the European Commission. Consequently, the adoption of the European Green Deal in Poland has prompted the agricultural sector to implement a series of modifications to its practices, with the objective of enhancing soil cultivation and animal husbandry methods. In response to these changes, the introduction of carbon farming practices is being proposed. These practices, which are to be implemented in Polish agriculture with the support of EU subsidies, are intended to mitigate the effects of climate change. This prompts further inquiry into the potential evolution of carbon farming practices and the extent of farmer interest in them. According to the available data, in Poland, 56% of the total agricultural area was covered by payments under the carbon farming eco-scheme. However, support was accessed by barely 31% of farms with an area of more than 1 ha. In turn, from a regional perspective, data analysis reveals significant regional differences in the use of support. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the structural, environmental, and production reasons behind differences in the use of the “Carbon farming and nutrient management“ eco-scheme across the Polish territory. The headline result is that participation is strongly associated with farm structure, moderately with production performance, and only weakly with environmental status.
Natural and Anthropogenic Determinants of Productivity, Emission Intensity and Environmental Efficiency of Central Asian Countries Against a Worldwide Background
The study is devoted to determining the factors affecting the volume of agricultural production, the ability to meet the food needs of populations, as well as the environmental efficiency of production, defined as the ratio of the number of kilocalories produced by the agricultural sector to the amount of greenhouse gasses it emits. Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) were chosen as an example. They are characterized by similar natural conditions (mainly dry, continental climate, and the dominant role of permanent grassland in agricultural land use), as well as a common economic history (as former republics of the USSR). As shown in this study, land productivity and environmental efficiency of production depend on natural factors, while the actual ability to meet each nation’s food needs depends on human activity, including primary measures taken to improve environmental efficiency within natural limits.
Spatial Differentiation in the Use of Rural Development Programme Funds for the Environment in Poland for the Periods 2007–2013 and 2014–2020
The purpose of this paper is to assess the changes in agricultural producers’ use of funds allocated for environmental measures under the 2007–2013 RDP (Rural Development Program) and 2014–2020 RDP in Poland. The extent to which environmental CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) funds are used was examined on a geographic basis, so as to take account of socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of districts. Correlation analysis and a cartographic method were used. The study found growing differences in how the funds are used between territorial units. The analysis of correlation provided grounds for concluding that a relationship exists between the share of environmental funds used in total RDP payments and environmental conditions, mostly including the share of permanent pasture in the structure of agricultural land (0.515 in 2014–2020). Conversely, no relationship was discovered between the level of wealth and the local agrarian structure (0.249 and 0.327 in 2014–2020). The analysis of differences between territorial units revealed that in some geographic areas that had the potential for being granted environmental funds, the farmers decided not to apply for them. Based on the above, it was concluded that the potential beneficiaries’ activity in that respect is largely impacted not only by their environmental awareness and attitude but also by historical events.
Nieefektywne inwestycje - problem przeinwestowania na przykładzie polskich gospodarstw rolnych w warunkach Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej
Celem opracowania była ocena skali zjawiska przeinwestowania w środki trwałe polskich gospodarstw rolnych w warunkach wsparcia funduszami Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej. Przeinwestowanie rozumiane było jako wzrost technicznego uzbrojenia pracy, któremu nie towarzyszy adekwatna poprawa wydajności pracy. Ocenie poddano 3273 gospodarstwa rolne pod kątem ich przeinwestowania, wykorzystując do jego pomiaru autorską metodę. Następnie zbadano skutki tego zjawiska. Przeanalizowano między innymi produkcję, koszty, dochody, zasoby czynników produkcji i ich relacje. Stwierdzono występowanie przeinwestowania w części badanych gospodarstw, w szczególności korzystających ze wsparcia inwestycyjnego Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej. Charakteryzowały się one gorszymi wynikami ekonomicznymi, co w przyszłości może rodzić problemy finansowe. Uzyskane wyniki znacząco pogłębiają prowadzone dotychczas badania na temat przeinwestowania w gospodarstwach rolnych. Ponadto mogą być też wykorzystane jako rekomendacja dla polityki rolnej, dla lepszego monitorowania rozdysponowania środków pomocowych dedykowanych rolnictwu.
Environmental Efficiency of Agriculture in Visegrád Group Countries vs. the EU and the World
The production of foodstuffs for an ever-increasing population is the basic, irreducible and unalienable function of agriculture. It involves environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions. This is what makes it so important to examine the levels of environmental efficiency of agriculture. As countries differ in their emission levels, it is reasonable to look for what determines them. Hence, the purpose of this study was to identify the changes in the environmental efficiency of agriculture in Visegrád Group countries and worldwide in 1961–2020. These countries share a similar economic history and demonstrate comparable environmental and geographic conditions, making it possible to pinpoint the factors responsible for how the parameters covered by the study change over time. The research used data from the FAOSTAT database. Environmental efficiency of agriculture was defined as the relationship between production volumes in kilocalories and emissions. Initially, this parameter deteriorated in the Visegrád countries, but since the late 1970s it has improved, first linked to the crisis of the socialist economy and its collapse (including a drastic decline in livestock production) and then to the implementation of CAP instruments.
Agricultural production in the least developed countries and its impact on emission of greenhouse gases - An energy approach
Stan i pożądane kierunki rozwoju systemu wiedzy i innowacji w rolnictwie (AKIS) w Polsce w świetle globalnych wyzwań
State, agriculture and agricultural interventions - mutual relationships
This paper analyzes mutual relationships between the institution of the state, agriculture, and agricultural interventions. It primarily adopts a historical (retrospective) approach, starting by identifying the socioeconomic importance of agriculture, and then moving to the relationships between agriculture and the state. The final section focuses on the importance of state interventionism in agriculture, taking into consideration both historical events and specific (mostly environmental) challenges of the present. The authors relied on the relevant literature on agricultural interventionism and on mutual relationships between the state and agriculture. Despite a number of deficiencies, it is essential for the state to be actively involved in the agricultural sector. The regulatory activities carried out include not only the real impact on agricultural production (its volume and quality), but also affect issues of agriculture’s impact on the environment and social life. By assuring basic security, the state enables the emergence of farming innovations which are a necessary driver of agricultural development, which, moreover, must be conditioned by the unknown environmental problems present in the past. Moreover, the production and distribution of food alone represents one of the fundamental dimensions of security and is a guarantor of full economic growth.
Changes in Farm Production in the Context of Overinvestment: A Case Study from Poland
Investments are the development core of every economic operator and the driving force for national economic development. While finding the optimal investment point is extremely difficult, every operator may seek to attain a level of fixed assets which allows them to maintain an increase in production and keep their income flowing. The difficulties in finding this optimum may lead to overinvestment. Hence, this paper estimates the parameters of the production function at various investment levels. Its purpose is to identify the relationship between the investment levels, the use of productive inputs, and growth or decline in production (output) levels. This study used microdata for 3273 Polish farms, as retrieved from the FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network). The differences found at various farm investment levels allow for highlighting some problematic areas, e.g., in the context of excessive capital use relative to yearly increments in production values. The proposed method of analyzing overinvestment based on the production function can be extended to other countries. According to this paper, farms that invested too little or too much in relation to their production potential showed the worst economic performances, including the greatest declines in production.
Parcelacje dużych gospodarstw – droga donikąd? Skutki polityki państwa realizowanej wobec dzierżawców wielkotowarowych gospodarstw rolnych utworzonych w wyniku przekształceń byłych PGR-ów
The Role of Precision Agriculture Technologies in Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture
Despite the known benefits of precision agriculture, the adoption is challenging due to the cost of investment and the farm sizes. Therefore, profitability is an important aspect to consider. This study aimed to evaluate the net returns, profitability, and investment efficiencies of PA by different economic farm sizes. The study was based on data retrieved from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and Eurostat (year 2021). The study examined four countries (Poland, Germany, France, and Romania) under field crop farming using an investment cost of EUR 35,941–EUR 71,883 and a 20% and 15% reduction in the cost of crop protection and fertilizer usage, respectively, without compromising productivity. There is a positive relationship between the adoption of PA and farm returns for larger-scale farms. The result of the profitability and analysis of investment efficiency using Net Present Value (NPV) showed a positive value for economic farm sizes of EUR 100,000 and above. Hence, it is not economically advisable that all farmers use PA technologies with the hope that they will be profitable but with public support (subsidies) more farms will be able to use PA and be profitable. This is also an opportunity to meet the goals of the European Union Green Deal of minimizing emissions that cause climate change.