Specialization and diversification of agricultural production in the light of sustainable development

Abstract

Abstract. Th e study evaluated the importance of agricultural production structures for economic effi ciency and environmental sustainability of farms. For this purpose, multivariate methods were used: ordering and data envelopment analysis (DEA). Th e study is based on accounting data from the farms of intensive agriculture in Wielkopolska Province, collected by the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics in Warsaw in [2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009]. It was demonstrated that diversifi ed farms achieve similar economic effi ciency indicators as specialized farms. At the same time it was proven that the farms with production specializing in breeding cattle, implement their function of "guardians of the countryside" in the same degree or even better. Th us, the main hypothesis of the study formulated on the basis of studying literature was rejected. It said that: specialized farms achieve higher economic effi ciency with lower environmental sustainability of the production than diversifi ed farms. In the diversifi ed farms there is higher environmental sustainability of production at lower economic effi ciency than in specialized farms.

Dynamics in the Agricultural Sectors of the Baltic States: the Effects of the Common Agricultural Policy and Challenges for the Future

“…The CAP instruments are covering support for agriculture which resulted in growth the income of farms', and structural funds have increased the investment for the modernization of agriculture and food sectors and for the development of rural areas. To provide comparable indicators on the level of agricultural production that significantly increased during the period considered between all EU countries we used data of EAA (Czyżewski et al, 2015) and it is noted that specialized farms increase farm efficiency but can influence in the quality of food and use of natural resources in rural areas. As noted in the literature (Namiotko et al, 2019;Zsarnóczai et al, 2019;Střeleček et al, 2009), agricultural productivity growth in farmers' farms is related with higher investments, also the subsidies on production were focused on new technology, to increase consumption of fixed capital.…”

“…Order to investigate differences in investment support impacts analysed their relationship by size groups of farms and their types of farming and pointed that the number of projects are taken under the RDP is related with the size of farms. (Ratinger 2013;Czyżewski et al, 2015). Finally, they concluded that support for investment became a key tool for agricultural policy.…”

Evaluation of investment attractiveness of a region as a guarantee for leadership in the territorial socio-economic development

“…The increasing competitiveness of the regions requires to specify distinct government priorities in investment policy of regional development by improving investment climate, defining promising sectors of economy, reconciling interests of state, region, financial institutions and business entities in relation to directions and means of transformation of investment resources, etc. (Czyżewski et al 2015;Zatonatska 2016;Cieślik et al 2016;Brodzicki 2016;or Mishenin et al 2018).…”

Evaluation of Technological, Economic and Social Indicators for Different Farming Practices in Lithuania

“…Current trends in agriculture development are focused not only on economic performance, but also on the consequences of corporate activities for the environment and sustainabality (Rajnoha, Lesníkova, 2016;Balas, 2014;Czyżewski, Smędzik-Ambroży, 2015).…”