Romania -- Systematic Country Diagnostic: background note-agriculture (English)

Agriculture plays a significant socio-economic role in Romania and its transformation to a modern, vibrant, and market-oriented sector is central to fighting poverty, promoting social inclusion, and reducing the urban/rural development divide. Most of Romania\u27s poor live in rural areas and earn their living from agriculture or agriculture-related activities. In 2016, eight out of ten people who were at risk of poverty or social exclusion lived either in rural areas or in towns and suburbs that were predominately rural. Using microdata from the 2013 Household Budget Survey (HBS), this report finds that individuals living in rural areas are 16.5 percent more likely to be poor than those who live in urban areas. Also, those living in rural areas and working in agriculture are 27 percent more likely to be poor. There are large variations in poverty rates and in the risk of poverty or social exclusion across regions in Romania. The risk of poverty or social exclusion is significantly higher in the northeast, southeast, west Oltenia, south Mutenia, and the west regions compared to that in Bucharest-Ilfov, the northwest, and center regions

Managing Intellectual Property to Foster Agricultural Development

Over the past decades, consideration of IPRs has become increasingly important in many areas of agricultural development, including foreign direct investment, technology transfer, trade, investment in innovation, access to genetic resources, and the protection of traditional knowledge. The widening role of IPRs in governing the ownership of—and access to—innovation, information, and knowledge makes them particularly critical in ensuring that developing countries benefit from the introduction of new technologies that could radically alter the welfare of the poor. Failing to improve IPR policies and practices to support the needs of developing countries will eliminate significant development opportunities. The discussion in this note moves away from policy prescriptions to focus on investments to improve how IPRs are used in practice in agricultural development. These investments must be seen as complementary to other investments in agricultural development. IPRs are woven into the context of innovation and R&D. They can enable entrepreneurship and allow the leveraging of private resources for resolving the problems of poverty. Conversely, IPRs issues can delay important scientific advancements, deter investment in products for the poor, and impose crippling transaction costs on organizations if the wrong tools are used or tools are badly applied. The central benefit of pursuing the investments outlined in this note is to build into the system a more robust capacity for strategic and flexible use of IPRs tailored to development goals

Finnish agriculture and rural industries 2007

The report consists of following topics: operating environment of agriculture, agricultural and food market, agricultural policy, economic situation of agriculture, agriculture and the environment, rural and regional policy, special topics: biogas etc

Effects of the current financial and economic crisis on the rural landscape as well as the agri-food sector in Europe and Central Asia

This paper reviews the expected effects of the current financial crisis and subsequent recession on the rural landscape, in particular the agri-food sector in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) on the basis of the structure of the rural economy and of different organisations and institutions. Empirical evidence suggests that the crisis has hit the ECA region the hardest. Agriculture contributes about 9% to gross domestic product (GDP) for the ECA region as a whole with 16% of the population being employed in the agricultural sector. As far as the impact of the financial crisis on the agri-food sector is concerned, there are a few interconnected issues: (1) reduction in income elastic food demand and commodity price decline, (2) loss of employment and earnings of rural people working in urban centres, implying also costly labour reallocation, (3) rising rural poverty originating mainly from lack of opportunities in the non-farm sector and a sizable decline of international remittances, (4) tightening of agricultural credit markets, and the (5) collapse of sectoral government support programs and social safety-net measures in many countries. The paper reveals how the crisis hit farming and broader agri-business differently in general and in the ECA sub-regions

Налоговое регулирование сельского хозяйства: современные тенденции, выбор форм государственной поддержки

В статье исследуется проблема выбора форм государственной поддержки аграрного сектора как одного из наиболее значимых секторов экономики. Основная цель - определить направления налогообложения в Беларуси с учетом мирового опыта налогообложения и субсидирования сельхозпроизводителей, а также интеграционных процессов, происходящих в Евразийском экономическом союзе (ЕАЭС). Государственное финансирование сельского хозяйства, обладающего отраслевой спецификой и социальной значимостью в решении проблем бедности, экономического роста и продовольственной безопасности, определено как приоритетное направление. На основе национальных налоговых законодательств обобщены особенности налогового стимулирования в развитых странах. Выявлено, что, несмотря на преимущественное субсидирование аграрного сектора, налоговые регуляторы активно применяются разными странами. Это позволяет учитывать национальную специфику и приоритеты. Кроме того, в исследовании рассматривается современное состояние сельского хозяйства Республики Беларусь, представлены направления его бюджетного финансирования и особенностей налогообложения, обобщаются виды налоговых льгот для производителей сельскохозяйственной продукции, анализируются специальные режимы налогообложения для сельскохозяйственных организаций и крестьянских (фермерских) хозяйств. В связи с активным участием республики в интеграционных образованиях изучаются внешние факторы, влияющие на стратегию финансирования сельского хозяйства: обязательства по сокращению бюджетных средств и налогообложение аграриев в рамках ЕАЭС. В результате были сделаны выводы о необходимости пересмотра механизмов национального налогового стимулирования на основе оценки их эффективности и расширения спектра действия.In the article the problem of selection of state support forms for the agricultural sector is considered as one of the most important sectors of economics. Main purpose of the article is to determine the tax areas in Belarus taking into account international experience in taxation and subsidies of farmers, and processes of integration in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Agriculture with its sector particularity, social importance in solving problems of poverty, economic growth and food security is defined as a priority area of government funding. Main characteristics of tax incentives in developed countries were summarized based on national tax laws. It was concluded that, despite the preferential subsidies of the agricultural sector, tax regulators were widely used by different countries that allowed taking into account national particularity and priorities. Article reviewed current situation in the agricultural sector of the Republic of Belarus. Were studied directions of government financing of agriculture and peculiarities of its taxation. In the article were also generalized forms of tax exemptions for the producers of agricultural output. Were analyzed special tax regimes for agricultural organizations and peasant (farmer) households. Due to the active participation of the Republic in the integration entities were analyzed as well external factors, which influenced strategy of agricultural financing: commitments to reduce budget funds and taxes on farmers within the EAEU. Conclusions on need of reviewing mechanisms of national tax incentives were made, based on its effectiveness assessment and widening of the range of actions

Co-operative and Alternative Finance for Agricultural/Food Communities : European Developments

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