Private farming is the dominant mode of agricultural production in most European countries. Not all farmers are equally successful, economically. In this paper it is analysed whether social capital is an important factor contributing to higher agricultural incomes. Based on the findings of a...

Although interest in the structure and relational features of social capital and its underlying networks has grown since the early 1990s, the terms do not embody any ideas that are really new to sociologists, but are indeed rather new to economists. Until the 1950s, land, labour, and financial...

Following the two rounds of land reform in Ukraine since independence, household plot farmers emerged as the major suppliers to agricultural production. But they form a very heterogeneous group. Not all of them are equally successful, economically, and integrated to markets. In general, a...

Following the two rounds of land reform in Ukraine since independence, household plot farmers emerged as the major suppliers of agricultural goods. But they form a very heterogeneous group. Not all of them are equally successful and integrated to markets. In general, a varying degree of access...

In the Czech Republic, agricultural production is still dominated by corporate farms. Private farms have been established since the change of the political regime, but their role is not that relevant as originally anticipated. Among both groups, some have been economically more successful than...

Rising energy prices for fossil fuels, the unreliable supply of energy imports during the last winters and - concerning the 12 new members states (NMS) - the demand by the European Union (EU) for developing National Renewable Energy Action Plans have stimulated the national discussion and...

Since the 1990s, in Russia, numerous large scale agro-holdings emerged, which link various farms, entities of the upstream and downstream sectors, and even totally unrelated industries. As all these affiliates are legally registered as independent units, there is only scant information about the...

Many rural areas in (East) Germany are characterised by declining birth rates and selective migration. Similarly, the rural economy is stagnating or even shrinking. Many communes are no more in a position to guarantee legally stipulated provisions of basic public services. In many rural areas...

Viele Regionen - besonders in Ostdeutschland - werden durch sinkende Geburtenraten und selektive Abwanderung geprägt. Viele Kommunen sind nicht mehr in der Lage, ihren gesetzlichen Verpflichtungen bei der öffentlichen Daseinsvorsorge nachzukommen. Entgegen dem allgemeinen Trend nimmt die...

Efficiency in microfinance requires accounting for a specific ambiguous production goal. Beyond financial performance, microfinance institutions are to be assessed with regard to their social impact. Based on a comprehensive data collection campaign on 15 Bulgarian agricultural credit...