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The Changing Structure and Concentration of Agricultural Land Holdings in Estonia and Possible Threat for Rural Areas

Author

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  • Evelin Jürgenson

    (Chair of Geomatics, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia)

  • Marii Rasva

    (Chair of Geomatics, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia)

Abstract

In most European countries, there has been a decrease in the number of farms, while the area of agricultural land has remained almost the same. This ongoing process of land concentration can affect Europe’s small farms and rural areas. The EU has acknowledged that the problem is serious and that, to solve it, it must be studied more closely. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to discuss changes in the agricultural sector from the aspect of land use, with emphasis on land concentration in Estonia, further scientific discussion about the effects of changes in land use on rural areas is encouraged. The study is carried out using two kinds of data sources: (1) statistical data from Eurostat, FAOSTAT and Statistics Estonia, (2) data from the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board. The conclusion of the paper is that while the number of farms is going down, the average area of agricultural land use per farm is on the rise in Estonia. Agricultural land has been increasingly concentrated into the hands of corporate bodies. This study shows that there is a status of land concentration in Estonia that needs ongoing studies and a proper policy should be established to mitigate the impact of land concentration.

Suggested Citation

  • Evelin Jürgenson & Marii Rasva, 2020. "The Changing Structure and Concentration of Agricultural Land Holdings in Estonia and Possible Threat for Rural Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:2:p:41-:d:315518
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Malgorzata Busko & Beata Szafranska, 2018. "Analysis of Changes in Land Use Patterns Pursuant to the Conversion of Agricultural Land to Non-Agricultural Use in the Context of the Sustainable Development of the Malopolska Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Looga, J. & Jürgenson, E. & Sikk, K. & Matveev, E. & Maasikamäe, S., 2018. "Land fragmentation and other determinants of agricultural farm productivity: The case of Estonia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 285-292.
    3. Lowder, Sarah K. & Skoet, Jakob & Raney, Terri, 2016. "The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 16-29.
    4. Johan F. M. Swinnen, 1999. "The political economy of land reform choices in Central and Eastern Europe," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 7(3), pages 637-664, November.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Marii Rasva & Evelin Jürgenson, 2022. "Europe’s Large-Scale Land Acquisitions and Bibliometric Analysis," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-13, June.
    2. Elena Gorbenkova & Elena Shcherbina, 2020. "Historical-Genetic Features in Rural Settlement System: A Case Study from Mogilev District (Mogilev Oblast, Belarus)," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Marii Rasva & Evelin Jürgenson, 2022. "Agricultural Land Concentration in Estonia and Its Containment Possibilities," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Uchendu Eugene Chigbu, 2020. "Land, Women, Youths, and Land Tools or Methods: Emerging Lessons for Governance and Policy," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-6, December.
    5. Andrzej Hornowski & Andrzej Parzonko & Pavel Kotyza & Tomasz Kondraszuk & Piotr Bórawski & Luboš Smutka, 2020. "Factors Determining the Development of Small Farms in Central and Eastern Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-21, June.

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