Assessment Models of the Main Indicators Characteristic of Farms in Europe

Abstract

Both the European Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger, highlight the importance of sustainable food systems as a key element for sustainable economic growth, a healthy population and the protection of the environment (European Commission, 2021). In this context, the analysis of quantitative indicators specific for the agricultural sector and the farm provides a realistic picture of the evolution of farms in Europe in 2005 vs. 2016. However, a qualitative analysis of farms is also needed, as sustainability focuses on quality. Given that it is essential to quantify both quantitatively and qualitatively the progress made in agriculture, with a focus on agricultural holdings, the objectives of this paper are: a) to identify the evolution regarding farms for each Member State of the European Union; and b) to signal the risks related to the states that are below the European average regarding the analysed indicators. This paper contributes to the studies carried out in this field through models for assessing the progress of farms in Europe and the unique set of indicators analysed. According to the study, the states that have made the most significant progress in terms of the number of farms, the output measured in Euro and the number of farms whose household consumes more than 50% of final production in 2016 are (1) Romania and (2) France.