The performance of agriculture in transition economies : evidence from Poland and Belarus, 1990-2004

Abstract

This thesis contributes to the existing literature on the agricultural reforms that took place in Central and Eastern European countries during the transformational period (1990-2004) and on the agricultural development in Europe in general in the long-term (1960-2004). The study explores the history of the agricultural transformations in Poland and Belarus through a detailed analysis of the agricultural production and productivity dynamics, aiming to answer (i) whether the reforms succeeded or failed in terms of agricultural production and agricultural productivity; and (ii) what were the determinants of the agricultural reforms' success or failure. The research is centered on a comparative analysis of Polish and Belarusian agricultural performance, but it also incorporates the other CEE countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia and Ukraine), as well as the advanced Western European economies.