IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/zbw/espost/240191.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Smallholder Farms in Bulgaria and Their Contributions to Food and Social Security

Author

Listed:
  • Fredriksson, Lena
  • Rizov, Marian
  • Davidova, Sophia
  • Bailey, Alastair

Abstract

Bulgaria has a long tradition of smallholder farming, predominantly producing for selfconsumption. As a result of land reform and farm restructuring, many rural households received agricultural land. Some developed commercial farms but most households stayed as subsistence farmers and used their small pieces of land to produce for self-consumption and market the excess output to top up their non-farm incomes or meagre pensions. They had little capital and insecure access to markets. The paper employs semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 10 smallholders for obtaining detailed information about individuals' behaviour and exploring issues in greater detail. In particular, the study looks at the drivers of the diverse strategies pursued by smallholder farms, their importance for household food security and incomes, and the prospects of smallholder farms in the future, especially the possibilities for productivity increases. The Bulgarian study on contemporary smallholder farms shows that subsistence production constitutes a valuable safety net for households with low incomes, and therefore, it acts as an extension of the limited social security system of the country. Despite all the challenges faced by smallholders, half of the interviewed households succeeded to commercialise and increase marketable surplus. Policies for increased commercialisation of smallholder farms and a structural change in agriculture should address, besides market factors, the socioeconomic aspects which contribute to the persistence of subsistence farming. Furthermore, when prioritising different policies, the chosen livelihood strategies of the households should be taken into account.

Suggested Citation

  • Fredriksson, Lena & Rizov, Marian & Davidova, Sophia & Bailey, Alastair, 2021. "Smallholder Farms in Bulgaria and Their Contributions to Food and Social Security," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 13(14).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:240191
    DOI: 10.3390/su13147635
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/240191/1/Sust-Fredriksson-Rizov-Davidova-Bailey.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.3390/su13147635?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philip Kostov & John Lingard, 2004. "Subsistence Agriculture in Transition Economies: Its Roles and Determinants," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 565-579, November.
    2. repec:bla:devpol:v:22:y:2004:i::p:525-556 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Marian Rizov, 2005. "Human Capital and the Agrarian Structure in Transition: Micro-Evidence from Romania," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 26(1), pages 119-149, February.
    4. Rizov, Marian, 2005. "Pull and push: individual farming in Hungary," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 43-62, February.
    5. Lerman, Zvi & Sedik, David, 2014. "Agricultural Cooperatives in Eurasia," Discussion Papers 290028, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Agricultural Economics and Management.
    6. Philip Kostov & John Lingard, 2004. "Institutional foundations of subsistence agriculture in transition economies," Others 0409010, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Rizov, Marian, 2003. "Endogenous production organization during market liberalization: farm level evidence from Romania," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 171-187, June.
    8. Sophia Davidova, 2011. "Semi‐Subsistence Farming: An Elusive Concept Posing Thorny Policy Questions," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(3), pages 503-524, September.
    9. Rizov, Marian & Swinnen, Johan F.M., 2004. "Human capital, market imperfections, and labor reallocation in transition," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 745-774, December.
    10. Swinnen, Johan F.M. & Vandeplas, Anneleen, 2007. "From Public to Private Governance of Agri-food Supply Chains in Transition Countries: Some Theoretical and Empirical Lessons," 104th Seminar, September 5-8, 2007, Budapest, Hungary 8521, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Valentina Constanta Tudor & Toma Adrian Dinu & Marius Vladu & Dragoș Smedescu & Ionela Mituko Vlad & Eduard Alexandru Dumitru & Cristina Maria Sterie & Carmen Luiza Costuleanu, 2022. "Labour Implications on Agricultural Production in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Lilian Korir & Marian Rizov & Eric Ruto, 2023. "Diet diversity, malnutrition and health: Evidence from Kenya," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 534-550, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Laure Latruffe & Yann Desjeux, 2014. "Perpetuation of subsistence farming in Kosovo: the role of farm integration in input markets," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 137-148, March.
    2. Latruffe, Laure & Davidova, Sophia & Desjeux, Yann, 2007. "Market Imperfections and Subsistence Farming: The Case of Kosovo," 100th Seminar, June 21-23, 2007, Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro 162351, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Kathrin Happe & Hauke Schnicke & Christoph Sahrbacher & Konrad Kellermann, 2009. "Will They Stay or Will They Go? Simulating the Dynamics of Single‐Holder Farms in a Dualistic Farm Structure in Slovakia," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 57(4), pages 497-511, December.
    4. Sophia Davidova & Lena Fredriksson & Alastair Bailey, 2009. "Subsistence and semi‐subsistence farming in selected EU new member states," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 40(s1), pages 733-744, November.
    5. Viira, Ants-Hannes & Pöder, Anne & Värnik, Rando, 2013. "The Determinants of Farm Growth, Decline and Exit in Estonia," Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development, Journal of International Agricultural Trade and Development, vol. 62(1).
    6. Rizov, Marian, 2006. "Rural development perspectives in enlarging Europe: The implications of CAP reforms and agricultural transition in accession countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(2), pages 219-238.
    7. Szumelda Anna, 2013. "Is Small Beautiful? The Debate on the Future of Small Individual Farms in Poland," Eastern European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 19(2013), pages 219-250, December.
    8. Tocco, Barbara & Davidova, Sophia & Bailey, Alastair, 2016. "Part-Time Farming in Italy: Does Farm Size Really Matter?," 90th Annual Conference, April 4-6, 2016, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 236291, Agricultural Economics Society.
    9. Rizov, Marian, 2008. "Institutions, reform policies, and productivity growth in agriculture: Evidence from former communist countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 55(4), pages 307-323.
    10. Weatherspoon Dave D. & Miller Steven R. & Niyitanga Fidele & Weatherspoon Lorraine J. & Oehmke James F., 2021. "Rwanda’s Commercialization of Smallholder Agriculture: Implications for Rural Food Production and Household Food Choices," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 51-62, May.
    11. Aragie, Emerta A. & McDonald, Scott, 2023. "The economic consequences of price support policies in semi-subsistence economies," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(6), pages 1148-1166.
    12. Budiman Achmad & Sanudin & Mohamad Siarudin & Ary Widiyanto & Dian Diniyati & Aris Sudomo & Aditya Hani & Eva Fauziyah & Endah Suhaendah & Tri Sulistyati Widyaningsih & Wuri Handayani & Dewi Maharani , 2022. "Traditional Subsistence Farming of Smallholder Agroforestry Systems in Indonesia: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-33, July.
    13. Koblianska, Inna & Seheda, Serhii & Khaietska, Olha & Kalachevska, Larysa & Klochko, Tetiana, 2022. "Determinants of potato producer prices in the peasant-driven market: the Ukrainian case," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 8(3), June.
    14. Viira, Ants-Hannes & Pöder, Anne & Värnik, Rando, 2013. "The Determinants of Farm Growth, Decline and Exit in Estonia," German Journal of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Department for Agricultural Economics, vol. 62(01), pages 1-13, February.
    15. Joanna Tyrowicz & Lucas van der Velde, 2017. "When the opportunity knocks: large structural shocks and gender wage gaps," GRAPE Working Papers 2, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    16. Tocco, Barbara & Bailey, Alastair & Davidova, Sophia & Raimondi, Valentina, 2015. "Women and Part-Time Farming: Understanding Labor Supply Decisions in Italian Farm Households," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211932, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Tocco, Barbara & Bailey, Alastair & Davidova, Sophia, 2013. "Determinants to Leave Agriculture and Change Occupational Sector: Evidence from an Enlarged EU," Working papers 155704, Factor Markets, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    18. Kołodziejczak, Włodzimierz & Wysocki, Feliks, 2016. "Wielomianowa analiza logitowa w badaniach aktywności ekonomicznej ludności wiejskiej," Village and Agriculture (Wieś i Rolnictwo), Polish Academy of Sciences (IRWiR PAN), Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, vol. 2(171).
    19. Bojnec, Štefan, 2011. "Agricultural and Rural Labour Markets in the EU Candidate Countries of Croatia, Former Yugoslav of Macedonia and Turkey," Factor Markets Working Papers 102, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    20. Fang, Lan & Quan, Yurong & Mao, Hui & Chen, Shaojian, 2022. "The Information Communication Technology and Off-farm Employment of Rural Laborers: An Analysis Based on the Micro Data of China Family Panel Studies," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322088, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:240191. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/zbwkide.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.