Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Oeconomia

Contract farming for sustainable agriculture in Bulgaria: challenges and opportunities for delivering agro-ecological public goods

Bozhura Fidanska, Ivan Boevski — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aim: This study examines the current state and challenges of implementing contractual arrangements in Bulgarian agriculture, with particular emphasis on their potential contribution to the provision of agro-ecological public goods and rural development. Against the background of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, contract farming represents a promising instrument for strengthening cooperation among producers, processors, and other stakeholders in Bulgaria, where agricultural production is characterized by fragmented farm structures and diverse regional conditions. Method: The analysis is based on a review of the scientific literature, existing conceptual models of contract farming, and an assessment of their applicability under Bulgarian conditions. Results: The findings indicate that well-designed contractual relationships can improve market access, reduce transaction costs and production risks, facilitate technology transfer, and enhance cooperation within agricultural value chains. At the same time, their successful implementation depends on appropriate institutional support, legal certainty, transparent governance mechanisms, and mutual trust among participants. Conclusions: The paper concludes that contract farming and related contractual approaches have significant potential to promote sustainable agricultural development in Bulgaria, particularly when integrated with policy instruments supporting environmental objectives and collective action within the Common Agricultural Policy.

Perceptions of the role of natural resources in economic development in Albania

Silvana Nakuci, Emira Spahaj — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aim: This study examines how natural resources are perceived as a strategic factor in economic development and evaluates the role of public policies, sustainable management, investment, and technology in supporting their efficient use. Methods: The study employed a quantitative survey conducted in Albania with 200 respondents from public administration, the fields of economics and environmental studies, and other professional backgrounds. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the respondents’ perceptions, while a simple linear regression model was applied to examine the relationship between the perceived importance of public policies and the perceived contribution of natural resources to sustainable economic development. Results: The respondents assigned high importance to natural resources, particularly forests, water, and land, and emphasized that their sustainable management depends on effective policy implementation, investment, and technological innovation. The regression analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between public policies and the dependent variable. Conclusions: The findings suggest that natural resources can support long-term economic development only when accompanied by coherent and sustainable policy frameworks, effective institutional coordination, sustainable resource management, and technological modernization.

Do public services sustain rural competitiveness? Demographic evidence from Bulgaria’s predominantly rural districts

Mariya Peneva — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aim: This study examines whether the provision of key public services, specifically healthcare and early childhood education, supports human development and territorial competitiveness in Bulgaria’s predominantly rural districts, which experience some of the most severe demographic decline in the EU. Methods: A balanced panel of regional data covering 21 predominantly rural NUTS 3 districts over 2022–2024 is analyzed using entity fixed-effects regression with clustered standard errors. Five models are estimated with natural growth rate, death rate, and birth rate as dependent variables, incorporating health service supply, early childhood education provision, and economic and infrastructure controls. The Hausman specification test confirms the suitability of the fixed-effects estimator. Results: Health and early childhood education services influence demographic outcomes through distinct structural channels. Specialist physician density mitigates the mortality-driven decline, while kindergarten teacher density, identified as the strongest predictor, positively affects both fertility and mortality channels. This finding aligns with its function as an indicator of community vitality and a facilitator of parental labor force participation. Average annual wages emerge as the primary economic predictor of natural growth rates. The full model accounts for 78.9% of the within-district variation. Conclusions: Public service investment constitutes a necessary but insufficient condition for territorial competitiveness. The findings offer district-level empirical evidence supporting place-sensitive funding for rural early childhood education and the proactive deployment of primary healthcare in demographically distressed regions of Bulgaria.

Legal and economic conditions for the participation of parents of children with disabilities in the labor market in Poland

Joanna Rakowska, Weronika Biały — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aim: The main aim of the study was to identify the determinants of career decisions among caregivers of children with disabilities, including the role of care allowance regulations, perceptions of recent legal changes, and the significance of paid employment. Methods: The study employed a qualitative approach based on primary qualitative data collected through a proprietary online survey (CAWI) of 25 parents of children with disabilities carried out in 2025. The survey questionnaire was developed following a review of relevant legal regulations, an analysis of online discussion fora and Facebook support groups for caregivers of children with disabilities, as well as exploratory semi-structured interviews conducted with three mothers receiving the care allowance in 2025. Results: Findings of the study demonstrate that the career decisions of mothers caring for children with disabilities are shaped by interacting legal, economic, and social factors. Recent changes to the care allowance system have diversified caregivers’ employment strategies while creating new challenges and uncertainties. Caregivers also perceive the current system as requiring further improvements, particularly regarding flexibility, continuity of support, and adaptation to individual family circumstances. Conclusions: It is necessary to elaborate more flexible support mechanisms that facilitate labor market participation among caregivers of children with disabilities without compromising the quality of care provided. An effective social policy should better accommodate the diverse and changing circumstances of caregiving families. Future policy reforms should be designed in close consultation with parents and caregivers of children with disabilities and should take into account their identified needs and lived experiences.