Neo-colonialism in the Polish rural world: CAP approach and the phenomenon of suitcase farmers

Mirosław Biczkowski (), Roman Rudnicki (), Justyna Chodkowska-Miszczuk (), Łukasz Wiśniewski (), Mariusz Kistowski () and Paweł Wiśniewski ()
Additional contact information
Mirosław Biczkowski: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Roman Rudnicki: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Justyna Chodkowska-Miszczuk: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Łukasz Wiśniewski: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Mariusz Kistowski: University of Gdansk
Paweł Wiśniewski: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

Agriculture and Human Values, 2023, vol. 40, issue 2, No 18, 667-691

Abstract: Abstract Notwithstanding the opportunities it provides, the implementation of some measures of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (EU CAP), including agri-environment-climate measures (AECMs), also generates threats. The study identifies an extremely disturbing process that can be referred to as “internal neo-colonialism”, which has been driven by the technocratic agrarian policy of the EU and transformations in Poland at the turn of the twenty-first century. The associated disadvantageous practices mainly affect areas under threat of marginalisation and peripheralisation, including Poland with its post-Socialist heritage, which has shaped the attitudes and behaviour of society and has consolidated linkages between politics and business. In order to retrace such activities, the study analyses EU funds granted in support of farmers implementing AECMs, with a focus on analysing the place of residence of the “farmer” and the location of the farm. As the research shows, the attractiveness of CAP support causes Polish agriculture and Poland’s countryside, including its natural and financial resources, to be drained by so-called “suitcase farmers”, i.e. people/entities not tied to the place where the agricultural activity is pursued, many of whom live in cities. One common practice is to take over land located in legally protected areas noted for their high quality of natural environment. Not only does the practice of land grabbing strengthen the social exclusion of rural communities and the peripheralisation and pauperisation of these areas, but it also hinders discussion about environmental justice and the ecological integrity of rural areas.

Keywords: Neo-colonialism; Suitcase farmers; Polish agrarian complexities; Agri-environment-climate measures; CAP EU (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10460-022-10381-8 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:40:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10460-022-10381-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/10460

DOI: 10.1007/s10460-022-10381-8

Access Statistics for this article

Agriculture and Human Values is currently edited by Harvey S. James Jr.

More articles in Agriculture and Human Values from Springer, The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().