CAP Impact on Semi-Subsistence Farms Development

Abstract

The concept “semi-subsistence farms” can include a wide range of farms. The main mark characterizing these farms is that they consume the main production’s part in the household and sell on the market the rest. From other side they are limited economically and physically and they use the labour from the household. Usually these farms have insignificant profits from agriculture. Often these farms have not access to the market, because of technical, financial and management barriers. Usually they search for other non-agricultural activities for incomes insurance. Semi-subsistence farms play essential role as a social-economic buffer. Their importance for the environment protection provokes the interest of researchers and politicians. This article’s aim is to analyze the CAP impact on the semi-subsistence farms in Bulgaria and these farms importance in the branch structure. The article is based on the results of the project “Semi-subsistence farms’ social-economic sustainability” (2009/2010), elaborated by the Institute of Agricultural Economics.