Land Fragmentation in Bulgaria: Reconsidering Its Measurement and Extent

Abstract

This study investigates the extent of land fragmentation in Bulgaria, where it is considered a major agricultural and land reform issue. Using data from the Bulgaria 2003 Multitopic Household Survey as well as other data sets pertaining to late 19th and early 20th century, the paper shows that the current level of land fragmentation is low-to-moderate in Bulgaria and that fragmentation is at its lowest level in about a century. This finding is in contrast to some of the existing research which has suffered from measurement problems. The paper underlines the significance of differentiating between land fragmentation and farm size to reveal an accurate portrayal of the extent of land use.

Does land fragmentation affect land productivity? Empirical evidence from Bulgaria

“…The model is identified by the inclusion of farm size in equation 4, a variable which is strongly related to fragmentation but, as will be explained in the next paragraphs, not directly related to productivity. Farm size is a powerful instrumental variable since it directly affects fragmentation-as discussed in Boliari (2013), Simmons (1964) and Januszewski (1968) suggest evidence that fragmentation increases with farm size. Furthermore, the historical data for Bulgaria supports this argument-for the period between the last quarter of the 19 th century and the mid-1930s the level of fragmentation was positively related to farm size-the higher the farm size, the higher was the level of fragmentation (Boliari, 2013).…”

“…Farm size is a powerful instrumental variable since it directly affects fragmentation-as discussed in Boliari (2013), Simmons (1964) and Januszewski (1968) suggest evidence that fragmentation increases with farm size. Furthermore, the historical data for Bulgaria supports this argument-for the period between the last quarter of the 19 th century and the mid-1930s the level of fragmentation was positively related to farm size-the higher the farm size, the higher was the level of fragmentation (Boliari, 2013). In addition, as indicated by the data used in this study, farm size is strongly related to the number of parcels.…”

Actuar desde la escala local: servicios de ensilado ante el abandono agrario = Acting from the Local Scale: Silage Services against Ground Abandonment

“…Además de las medidas ligadas a los programas comunitarios, algunos estados y regiones han puesto en marcha iniciativas dirigidas a facilitar la puesta en producción de aquellos suelos agrícolas que iban perdiendo este uso y que recogemos bajo la denominación genérica de «Bancos de Tierra». En Europa funcionan actualmente diferentes iniciativas de este tipo, desde la escala nacional a la local, fundamentadas principalmente en tierras de su propiedad (Van Dijk et Kopeva, 2006), originarias de nuevos suelos útiles, procedentes de sobrantes de concentración parcelaria o, en los países de la Europa del Este, por redistribución por parte del Estado de fincas a sus antiguos propietarios (Boliari, 2013).…”

Problemática de los centros de intermediación de tierras agrarias en espacios periurbanos. discusión a partir del ejemplo vasco

“…En Europa funcionan actualmente diferentes iniciativas de este tipo, desde la escala nacional a la local, fundamentadas principalmente en tierras de su propiedad (Van Dijk et Kopeva, 2006), originarias de nuevos suelos útiles, procedentes de sobrantes de concentración parcelaria o, en los países de la Europa del Este, por redistribución por parte del Estado de fincas a sus antiguos propietarios (Boliari, 2013).…”