This article investigates farm investment behaviour and the presence of soft budget constraints in the agricultural sectors of three Central and Eastern European countries – Estonia, Hungary and Slovenia – using individual farm accountancy panel data for the 2007–2015 period. Gross farm investment is positively associated with gross farm investment for the previous year, growth in real sales and public investment subsidies. Mixed results for debt square and cash flow variables imply that the different investment behaviour of farms pertains to different structures of investment sources among the countries under analysis. A particularly significant negative cash flow coefficient implies strong soft budget constraints for Estonian farms, while insignificant cash flow coefficients imply weak soft budget constraints for Hungarian and Slovenian farms.

No abstract

After Estonia restored independence, the number of individual farms increased rapidly during the 1990s. Since 2001, the number of farms has substantially decreased. Therefore, based on the survey data, this paper aims to explore the factors underlying the motivation to exit farming in Estonia. Cluster analysis is used to form relatively homogeneous groups of farms, and to investigate between-group differences in the motivation to exit as well as other farm characteristics. Logistic and ordered logistic regressions are applied to estimate the effects of selected variables on exit probability. The study reveals that the farms that are least likely to exit are large-scale farms and small-scale family farms. In small-scale farms, a reliance on family labour and a diversification of activities reduces the exit probability. The size of agricultural area was found to correlate negatively to exit intentions, while a higher share of rented land increases the exit probability. Also, the health of the farmer and the renting out of land are significant determinants to farm exit.

The aim of the present research was to analyze the farmers’ intention towards participation in the management and conservation of wetlands through the lens of the extended theory of planned behavior (TPB). To do this, a cross-sectional survey of Iranian farmers was carried out. To select the samples, a multi-stage random sampling process with a proportional assignment was employed. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were verified using various quantitative and qualitative indicators. The results of the extended TPB using structural equation modeling showed that four variables, namely moral norms of participation in management and conservation (MNPMC), attitude towards participation in management and conservation (APMC), subjective norms towards participation in management and conservation (SNPMC), and self-concept about participation in management and conservation (SCPMC) had positive and significant impacts on intention towards participation in management and conservation (IPMC). The results also revealed that that entering MNPMC and SCPMC into TPB could increase its explanatory power. Also, the fit indicators supported the extended TPB. From a practical point of view, the present study provides justifications and insights for the use of MNPMC, APMC, SNPMC, and SCPMC in policies and programs intended to encourage farmers and local communities to participate in wetlands management and conservation.

No abstract