Home / news Subsistence farming, incomes, and agricultural livelihoods in the New Member States of the European Union - ePrints William Smith Updated on April 05, 2026 Subsistence farming, incomes, and agricultural livelihoods in the New Member States of the European UnionLookup NU author(s): Professor Matthew GortonORCiD,Dr Dan PetroviciDownloadsFull text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.AbstractDrawing on primary survey data and the literature on sustainable livelihoods, we analyse agricultural households in five new member states of the EU which possess a large subsistence and semisubsistence farming sector. The study indicates that the contribution of subsistence farming to household incomes is significant. The profiling of agricultural households, using cluster analysis, reveals four main types which differ significantly in terms of engagement in nonmarketed production. The poorest households form the largest cluster. They possess low natural, physical, and social capital, operating small-scale and undercapitalised farms with little nonagricultural income. The main EU Common Agricultural Policy instruments are not well suited to respond to the specific needs of these poor subsistence farmers.Publication metadataAuthor(s): Davidova S, Fredriksson L, Gorton M, Mishev P, Petrovici DPublication type: ArticlePublication status: PublishedJournal: Environment and Planning C: Government and PolicyYear: 2012Volume: 30Issue: 2Pages: 209-227ISSN (print): 0263-774XISSN (electronic): 1472-3425Publisher: Pion Ltd.URL: DOI: 10.1068/c1195rAltmetricsShare
