By

Hrabrin Bachev

Institute of Agricultural Economics, Bulgaria

e-ISBN: 978-625-7813-52-5
Publishing Date: December 1, 2021
File Size: 5,500 MB ‎
Length: xviii + 268 pages (PDF)
Language: ‎ English
Dimensions: ‎13,5 x 21,5 cm

This Book is completely open access. You can freely read, download and share with everyone.
In Bulgaria, like in many other countries, practically there are no comprehensive assessments of the governance sustainability of agriculture and its importance for the overall agrarian development. This study tries to fill the gap and suggests a holistic framework for understanding and assessing the governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture. The newly elaborated approach is “tested” in a large-scale study for assessing the governance sustainability of country’s agriculture at national, sectoral, regional, eco-system and farm levels. The study has proved that it is important to include the “missing” Governance Pillar in the assessment of the Integral sustainability of agriculture and sustainability of agro-systems of various type. Multiple Principles, Criteria and Indicators assessment of the Governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture indicates that the Overall Governance Sustainability is at a “Good” but very close to the “Satisfactory” level. Besides, there is a considerable differentiation in the level of Integral Governance sustainability of different agro-systems in the country. What is more, the individual indicators with the highest and lowest sustainability values determine the “critical” factors enhancing and deterring the particular and integral Governance sustainability of evaluated agro-system.  Last but not least important, results on the integral agrarian sustainability assessment based on micro (farm) and macro (statistical, etc.) data show some discrepancies which have to be taken into consideration in the analysis and interpretation, while assessment indicators, methods and data sources further improved.
The interdisciplinary New Institutional Economics framework is applied and assessment made on specific effects of major components of the “external” institutional environment on agrarian sustainability level in different administrative, geographical and ecological regions, subsectors of agriculture, and farms of variousjuridical type and size in Bulgaria. Our study has found out that individual elements of external institutional, market and natural environment affect quite unequally farms of different types, individual subsectors of agriculture, and specific ecological and geographical regions.This type of studies is to be expended and their precision and representation increased. The latter however, requires a close cooperation between all interested parties, and participation of the farmers, agrarian organizations, local and central authorities, interest groups, research institutes and experts, etc.
The issue of assessment sustainability of agricultural farms as a whole and of different type is among the most topical for researchers, farmers, investors, administrators, politicians, interests groups and public at large. Despite that practically there are no assessments on sustainability level of Bulgarian farms in conditions of European Union Common Agricultural Policy implementation. This article applies a holistic framework and assesses sustainability of Bulgarian farms as a whole and of different juridical type, size, production specialization, and ecological and geographical location. Initially the method of the study is outlined, and overall characteristics of surveyed holdings presented. After that an assessment is made of integral, governance, economic, social, environmental sustainability of farms in general and of different type and location. Next, structure of farms with different sustainability levels is analyzed. Finally, factors for improving sustainability of Bulgarian farms are identified, and directions for further research and amelioration of farm management and public intervention in the sector suggested.Our study has found out that overall sustainability of Bulgarian farms is at a good level, with superior levels for environmental and social sustainability, and inferior level for governance and economic sustainability. There are great variations in sustainability levels of farms of different type and location as well as in shares of holdings with unlike level of sustainability. Factors which stimulate to the greatest extent the actions of Bulgarian farms for improving individual aspects of sustainability are Access to Advisory Services, Professional Training of Manager and Hired Labor, Personal Conviction and Satisfaction, Positive Experience of Other Farms, Available Innovations, Financial Capability, Private Contracts and Agreements, and Registration and Certification of Products, Services, etc. National and European mechanisms of regulation and support, which affect to the greatest extent economic sustainability of Bulgarian farms are: Direct Area Based Payments, National Tops Ups for Products, Livestock, etc., Modernization of Agricultural Holdings, Green Payments, Support to Semi-market Farms.
A need to include “the fourth” Governance pillar in the concept for understanding and the assessment system of (overall and) agrarian sustainability is increasingly justified in academic literature and finds place in the frameworks of government, international, private, etc. organizations Nevertheless, still there is no general consensus on: whether and how to include the governance as a new pillar of agrarian sustainability; how to define the governance sustainability; what are the relations between the governance sustainability of a farming enterprise and agriculture; what are the critical factors of governance sustainability; how to formulate, select, measure and integrate diverse sustainability indicators; and how to properly evaluate the level of governance sustainability, etc. In Bulgaria, like in many other countries, practically there are no comprehensive assessments of the governance sustainability of agriculture and its importance for the overall agrarian development. This study tries to fill the gap and suggests a holistic framework for understanding and assessing the governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture. The newly elaborated approach is “tested” in a large-scale study for assessing the governance sustainability of country’s agriculture at national, sectoral, regional, eco-system and farm levels.The study has proved that it is important to include the “missing” Governance Pillar in the assessment of the Integral sustainability of agriculture and sustainability of agro-systems of various type. Multiple Principles, Criteria and Indicators assessment of the Governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture indicates that the Overall Governance Sustainability is at a “Good” but very close to the “Satisfactory” level. Besides, there is a considerable differentiation in the level of Integral Governance sustainability of different agro-systems in the country. Last but not least important, results on the integral agrarian sustainability assessment based on micro (farm) and macro (statistical, etc.) data show some discrepancies which have to be taken into consideration in the analysis and interpretation, while assessment indicators, methods and data sources further improved. Having in mind the importance of holistic assessments of this kind for improving the agrarian sustainability in general, and the Governance sustainability of agriculture in particular, they are to be expended and their precision and representation increased. The later requires improvement of the precision through enlargement of surveyed farms and stakeholders, and incorporating more “objective” data from surveys, statistics, expertise of professionals in the area, etc. Since the elaboration of an effective framework for Governance sustainability assessment is far from complete our and other emerging suggestions have to be further discussed, experimented, improved and adapted to the specific conditions of evaluating agricultural system and needs of decision-makers at different levels.
(Agro)ecosystem services is a “new” term, which is rapidly and widely used in academicstudies, and policies and business practices around the globe.Nevertheless, in many countries around the globe, studies associated with agroecosystem services and their “management” are at the beginning stage.This article suggests a holistic framework for defining, evaluating and improving the system of governance of agro-ecosystem services. The interdisciplinary Theory of Ecosystem Services and the New Institutional Economy are adapted, and the governance of agroecosystem services defined, various related agents identified, principle forms and mechanisms of governance classified, an adequate criterion for assessing efficiency formulated, and stages for analysis and improvement of the system of governance characterized. The proposed new approach is based on the “building up” of a hierarchy of agro-ecosystems and services related to its different levels, and an assessment of the efficiency and complementarities of the governance modes and mechanisms, corresponding to each level of “provision” of agroecosystem services.
Preface
Chapter 1
Level of agrarian Governance sustainability in Bulgaria
Introduction
Study method and data
Results and discussion
Comparison of assessments based on micro and macro data
Conclusions
References
Chapter 2
A study on impacts of institutions on sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture
Introduction
Methodological framework
Results and discussion
Conclusion
References
Chapter 3
Assessing multi-aspects and integral sustainability of Bulgarian farms
Introduction
Methods of the study
Overall characteristics of surveyed farms
Sustainability level of agricultural farms
Sustainability indicators for farms enterprises of different type
Share of farms with different levels of sustainability
Factors for farms sustainability in Bulgaria
Conclusion
References
Chapter 4
How to measure the governance pillar of agrarian sustainability
Introduction
Proper understanding of governance sustainability of agriculture
Incorporating the “New” governance pillar in the assessment framework of agrarian sustainability
Defining, integration and interpretation of sustainability level
Assessment of governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture
Unpacking the governance sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture
Governance sustainability in major sub-sectors of agriculture
Conclusions
References
Chapter 5
Understanding and improving the governance of ecosystem services: The case of agriculture
Introduction
Definition and agents of the governance of (agro)-ecosystem services
The hierarchy of agro-ecosystems
Mechanisms and modes of governance of agro-ecosystem services
Factors for choice and efficiency of governance model
Stages in the analysis and improvement of the governance of agro-ecosystem services
Conclusions
References

Hrabrin Bachev

Institute of Agricultural Economics, Bulgaria

Ph.D in Economics, Agricultural Academy, Sofia. M.Sc in Agricultural and Industrial Economics, University of Economics, Sofia. Researcher and teaching at University of Missouri, Columbia, USA; University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, National Agriculture Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan; Birkbeck College of London University, London, United Kingdom; Catholic University of Louvain, Leuvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; INRA, Montpellier, France; Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. More than 300 academic papers, contributions to books and books in 40 countries of Europe, North America and Asia. Incorporating the new developing interdisciplinary New Institutional and Transaction Cost Economics (combining Economics, Organization, Law, Sociology, Political and Behavioral Sciences) into agrarian and food sector to analyze diverse modes of governance (market, private, public, hybrid, formal, informal, local, regional, transnational), and factors and prospects of institutional and organizational modernization in agri-food sector. Recent research focusing on governance and assessment of agrarian and rural sustainability; analysis of agrarian and rural institutions, organizations and contracts; environmental and risk governance, food security and food chain management; assessment of impacts of EU and national policies and programs; management and agrarian research and innovation, etc. Extensive consultancy and contribution to a great number of policy assistance projects carried out by the Government, UN FAO, EU, OECD, NATO, WB, IIED etc. Co-founder, and the first Executive Secretary and Vice-President of the Bulgarian Association of Agricultural Economists, MC member of COST IS1001 Bio-objects, and a member of the European Association of Agricultural Economists, and International Association of Agricultural Economics.

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