Small farms are subject to a wide range of influences on their viability including economic, policy and regulatory drivers as well as internal farm household drivers of change. Small farms have experienced a decline in numbers compared to large farms. The main task of the paper is to determine the share of viable farms of different size groups in Estonia, exploring the factors that are associated with economically viable farms. For determination of the share of viable farms of different size groups the opportunity-cost-based approach is used. Farm viability is estimated by using the data from the Estonian Farm Accounting Data Network. The results indicate that the economic viability of Estonian farms has slightly increased, but the share of viable farms has decreased. Smaller farms' economic viability is declining, many of them are economically vulnerable. Smaller farms' capability to survive and develop by using the available resources is lower compared to larger farms.

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Farmers are strongly exposed to agricultural risks and have to adapt their strategies to the new uncertainties resulting from the changes in the EU agricultural policy. So far, risk sharing strategies in the context of production risk management have received little attention in Estonia. The aim of the paper is to examine the current availability of agricultural insurance in Estonia and the farmers’ attitudes towards insurance as a risk management tool. The analysis is based on a farm survey conducted in 2015. At first, an overview on available insurance products is given. Secondly, farmers’ interest towards insurance and the connection between farm characteristics and the interest, is studied. The results show that availability of agricultural risk management instruments is limited in Estonia. Agricultural insurance includes protection against livestock production risks provided by two insurance companies, and there are no instruments for crop insurance available. The results of farm survey show that farmers’ interest towards crop-yield and crop income insurance is relatively limited. The main reasons cited by the farmers are too high insurance premiums and the lack of trust in the insurance provider honouring the insurance claim. Younger farmers were more interested in insurance.

The introduction of yield insurance schemes for the farmers that would contribute to the diversification of risk transfer opportunities in the agricultural sector is under the consideration in Estonia. The paper focuses on agricultural insurance practices that could lead to the solutions for farmers. The aim is to study possible volume of yield insurance in Estonia. The development of agricultural insurance schemes is heterogeneous in different EU Member States and the characteristics of specific agricultural insurances for the crop sector vary from market-based single and combined risk insurances to the policy-type insurances. The analysis of Estonian data indicate that cereal yields and yield volatility differ across the Estonia regions, and the potential market volume for crop insurance is low.

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