Land Concentration and Land Grabbing Processes—Evidence from Slovakia

Abstract

In Slovakia, the large-scale acquisition of agricultural land in combination with land concentration represents a legitimate threat that can lead to land grabbing. Based on the research, two interrelated areas of protection need to be effectively regulated to limit land grabbing: the protection of access to land and the protection of agricultural land. Due to the absence of relevant data analysis regarding this issue, the main aim of the study was to analyse the emergence of land concentration in Slovakia based on historical and cultural factors and to evaluate the current legislative and institutional framework of both aspects of land protection with a possible impact on the successively graduating threat of land grabbing. In particular, analytical methods were used, presenting the data from secondary literature sources, a questionnaire survey, and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Slovakia. The research shows that although the state has adopted the necessary legal framework for the protection of property rights to agricultural land, it is not possible to enforce it, as the institutional framework for its implementation is absent. It is also the state’s malfunctioning land protection regulatory mechanism and the absence of indirect action instruments that may be key indicators leading to the processes of industrial agriculture. Therefore, the adoption of legislation limiting agricultural land acquisition is important, but the processes of land grabbing presume the state’s complex provision of a regulatory mechanism and adoption of strategic measures aimed at sustainable land quality and food security.

The current legislation on land protection in Slovakia with particular regard to the decision of the Slovak Constitutional Court on unconstitutional provisions of the Act on land acquisition

“…27 Generally speaking, the Member States that joined the EU in 2004, including Slovakia, are legally obliged to harmonize their national rules with the EU rules. For most of the Member States, this transitional period lasted seven years, till 2011, but the Slovak Republic submitted a request 28 to the EC for a three-year extension. 29 Consequently, on April 14, 2011 the EC adopted Decision no.…”

“…27 Pavlovič 2020, 65. 28 The main reason for the transitional period was the need to protect the socio-economic conditions for agricultural activities in Slovakia, owing to the introduction of a single market system and the transition to the common agricultural policy. Additionally, further concerns about the potential impact on the agricultural sector were to be considered because of the large initial differences in land prices and incomes, especially in comparison with the Western and northern countries.…”

Planning for sustainable food communities: An optimal spatial allocation study of food hubs considering the 15-min city concept—The case of LebensMittelPunkte in Berlin

“…There is a global trend of population to concentrate in cities (United Nations Department of Economic Social Affairs, 2019), which are experiencing a permanent expansion process (Angel et al, 2011), thus, questioning their sustainability (Ferrara et al, 2014;Zitti et al, 2015). Consequently, the population of rural areas is generally decreasing, accompanied by an increase in the abandonment of agricultural land and concentration of land ownership (Weissteiner et al, 2011;Estel et al, 2015;van der Zanden et al, 2017;Bunkus and Theesfeld, 2018;Palšová et al, 2021). On the other hand, there is a growing debate on the sustainability of the globalised food system due to its contribution to climate change or the loss of biodiversity (Benton et al, 2021;Crippa et al, 2021;Ricciardi et al, 2021), as well as on its vulnerability to severe disruptions and shocks (Puma et al, 2015;Puma, 2019;FAO, 2021).…”

Agricultural Land Concentration in Estonia and Its Containment Possibilities

“…Supporting small farmers remains essential for food security and to combat rural poverty. This phenomenon has affected countries like Slovakia [16], Hungary [5], Romania [17], Poland [18] and many other countries. These countries all experienced major land reforms after the Soviet Union collapsed.…”