Demographic and social conditions of growth in agriculture in selected Eastern European countries
Kosieradzki, M.
Wies Wspoczesna 27(3(313)): 83-94
1983
Document Number: 312368
The article is concerned with growth in agriculture in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the GDR. The various factors which the survey studied in detail comprise: (1) changes in the labour force; (2) structural changes (according to sex and level of education); (3) the standard of living enjoyed by rural communities; (4) provisions of pensions; (5) agriculture's share in GNP; and (6) level of consumption. The study then goes on to consider barriers to growth in the various countries. Apart from a few specific regional problems, the majority of problems were common to all the countries in the study. These were a lack of organization and managerial skills in the agricultural sector, a lack of systematic training for farmers, and a lack of non-financial incentives to increase agricultural output. It is, however, difficult to make international comparisons because methods of collecting data and even definitions differ between the countries.