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Socio-economic and Ecological Sustainability of Smallholder Agricultural Holdings in Bulgaria

Author

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  • Hrabrin I. BACHEV

    (Institute of Agricultural Economics, 125 Tzarigradsko shosse Blvd, Blok 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.)

Abstract

The issue of adequate assessment of socio-economic and ecological sustainability of divers agricultural holdingsis among most topical academic and practical problems. It is particularly important for smallholder farms accounting for the majority of all farms in the globe. In Bulgaria unregistered farms of Natural Personsaccount for almost 98% of all farms in the country, cultivate a third of all farmlands, graze 85% of cows, 90% of sheep, and around a third of pigs, and employ almost 93% of workforce in the sectors. This article applies a holistic framework and assesses sustainability of farms of Natural Persons in Bulgaria during current stage of EU CAP implementation. Initially a new governance aspect of farm sustainability is justified and method outlined. After that assessment is made of integral, governance, economic, social, environmental sustainability of farms of Natural Persons of different size, specialization, and location, and comparative sustainability to other type of farms. Finally, directions for further research and amelioration of sustainability assessment practices are suggested. Overall sustainability of Natural Persons in the country is at a good level, with superior levels for environmental and social sustainability, close to the low level governance sustainability, and inferior economic sustainability. Comparative sustainability of holdings is lower than other juridical type. There are great variations in sustainability levels of farms of different kind and location. Share of Natural Persons with good and high sustainability is smaller than other categories of farms and majority of Natural Persons have no comparative advantages in terms of sustainability, and in a middle term will cease to exist.

Suggested Citation

  • Hrabrin I. BACHEV, 2017. "Socio-economic and Ecological Sustainability of Smallholder Agricultural Holdings in Bulgaria," Journal of Economic and Social Thought, KSP Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 247-260, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ksp:journ3:v:4:y:2017:i:2:p:247-260
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bachev, Hrabrin Ianouchev, 2005. "Assessment of Sustainability of Bulgarian Farms," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24739, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Hrabrin Ianouchev BACHEV, 2016. "An Approach to Assess Sustainability of Agricultural Farms," Turkish Economic Review, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 28-53, March.
    3. Bachev, Hrabrin & Tsuji, Masao, 2001. "Structures for organisation of transactions in Bulgarian agriculture," MPRA Paper 99338, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Hrabrin Bachev, 2013. "Risk Management in the Agri-food Sector," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 7(1), March.
    5. Hrabrin Ianouchev BACHEV, 2016. "What is Sustainability of Farms?," Journal of Economic and Social Thought, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 35-48, March.
    6. Bachev, Hrabrin & Nanseki, Teruaki, 2007. "Environmental Management in Bulgarian Agriculture – Risks, Modes, Major Challenges," MPRA Paper 99407, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Hrabrin Bachev, 2005. "Framework For Assessing Sustainability Of Farms," Microeconomics 0511003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Bachev, Hrabrin & Ivanov, Bodjidar & Toteva, Desislava & Sokolova, Emilia, 2017. "Sustainability level of Bulgarian agriculture," MPRA Paper 81593, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Hrabrin Bachev, 2005. "Efficiecy Of Agrarian Organisations," Microeconomics 0511002, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Hrabrin I. BACHEV, 2016. "About Governance and Evaluation of Sustainability of Farming Enterprise," Journal of Social and Administrative Sciences, KSP Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 161-201, June.
    11. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2010. "Governance of agrarian sustainability," MPRA Paper 99867, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2008. "Environmental management in Bulgarian agriculture," MPRA Paper 7769, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Smallholders sustainability; Governance; Economic social environmental aspects; Bulgaria.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • R33 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Nonagricultural and Nonresidential Real Estate Markets

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