The Comparison of Changes in the Implementation of Production and Environmental Aims of Agriculture in Selected Groups of Voivodships

Abstract

<jats:p> The importance of regionalization of Polish agriculture is constantly increasing, mostly due to its environmental, organizational and economic differences between regions. The process of regionalization has become especially visible after Polish accession to the European Union. The study compared the changes in the utilization of production capacity for selected voivodships, located in different parts of Poland, i.e. Dolnoślaskie and Opolskie (A) and Małopolskie and Podkarpackie (B), in the years 2002–2004 and 2012–2014. The main data sources were Central Statistical Office of Poland publications and the results of an own study. The analysis showed significant differences in the production capacity of Polish agriculture and in the utilization of production potential in different regions. The differences between the analyzed groups of voivodships were mostly due to management and intensity differences of agricultural production, while habitat and natural conditions were of a minor importance. Agriculture of Dolnośląskie and Opolskie proved to be the most effective in achieving production and environmental objectives.</jats:p>

Regional Variation in Changes in Agricultural Production in Poland in the Context of Environmental Impact

“…According to Matyka (2014), the yields of the majority of main arable crops are generally lower than the EU-27 average and significantly lower than in Germany, indicating that Polish agriculture has not fully exploited biological, technical and organisational progress. There are also significant differences in yields of the main arable crops in individual provinces (Kopiński 2017d).…”

“…Agriculture, like many other branches of the economy, undergoes constant economic and structural changes, which necessitate processes of adjustment to variable economic conditions (Kopiński 2017d). The changes taking place are a derivative of the function of elapsing time (Matyka et al 2013) and a derivative of civilizational and cultural changes distinctive in the general level and quality of rural population's life in the local and national scale (Niedzielski 2015), but also of urban residents (as food consumers).…”