Wieś i Rolnictwo (Apr 2025)
The Transformation of Polish Agriculture and Rural Areas Since EU Accession
Abstract
Based on publications and analyses of factual material in databases (GUS, RER, and FADN), the article presents the major changes in agriculture and rural areas in Poland following accession to the European Union (EU). Accession provided significant impulses to accelerate the transformation of Polish agriculture. These impulses include the supply of agricultural production resources, increased demand for agricultural products, transfers to agriculture resulting from the mechanisms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), increased demand for agricultural labour, and the rising aspirations of farmers driven by cultural changes and higher education levels. At the same time, accession to the EU contributed to the implementation of the sustainable agricultural development paradigm – particularly through targeted or conditional financial transfers. The results in this area are significant in the economic sphere, while they remain modest and ambiguous in the environmental and social spheres. Agriculture in the 21st century must transform toward sustainability, as the development of industrial agriculture has reached a stage where the benefits of increasing production are outweighed by environmental drawbacks. This transformation requires replacing chemical inputs with organic matter, pointing the way toward agrobiotechnology and integrated technologies. A major challenge is balancing the development of family farms with the pressure created by globalisation and largescale agricultural holdings. Rural areas have made significant progress in socio-economic development, especially in terms of technical infrastructure and income levels. Currently, he challenge lies in building technical infrastructure to ensure economic benefits primarily for rural residents. A deep revision of the CAP is desirable, or perhaps even its integration into the rural development management system.
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