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Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most striking recent technology developments. Potentially, it can significantly affect all areas of economic activities including agriculture. The paper addresses two issues such as the actual essence of AI and its most important current and expected future applications in agriculture and their potential impact on labor use and productivity of this sector. The research methods applied in the paper are critical analysis of selected literature sources and deductive reasoning regarding the likely influence of ai applications on labor use in agriculture and its total factor productivity. It was found out that applications of AI in agriculture are numerous and very diverse both in terms of technological solutions and managed processes. Moreover, the market for AI applications in agriculture is expected to grow quite rapidly due to an increasing tendency to automatize agricultural production and marketing processes. This inevitably leads to substitution of physical labor with sophisticated machinery and robots. Also, it generates demand for new labor competencies needed to manage increasingly capital intensive agricultural production and related processes driven by the use of AI. Based on mainly theoretical considerations, it can be surmised that widespread use of ai in agriculture should positively contribute to the growth in the total factor productivity (TFP) of the sector. Consequently, countries where agricultural producers adopt AI solutions faster can gain competitive advantage in food production.
</abstract>

Development of Artificial Intelligence and Potential Impact of Its Applications in Agriculture on Labor Use and Productivity

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The aim of the article is to describe Polish agri-food exports to countries that are members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and to assess the possibilities of developing exports of Polish food producers to the markets of these countries. The study was conducted, among others, with the use of a synthetic perspective index based on the data from Statistics Poland and the wiTs-comtrade database. The study shows that rcep countries have a relatively low share in Polish agri-food exports (2.7% in 2021) and the trade is characterized by a permanently negative balance of food turnover. In the context of the growth prospects for polish exports, it is difficult to speak of the same product groups in all markets. On the contrary, the choice of a given market determines which products can be regarded as prospective in Polish exports to this market. The products include not only processed, but also agricultural and low-processed ones. There is a risk that the agreement, which has been in force since the beginning of 2022, will cause the diversion effect, consisting in reducing the trade of RCEP countries with non-RCEP countries. This may make it necessary to adapt the trade strategy implemented on the asian market by EU countries, including Poland, to the new conditions.
</abstract>

Department of Agribusiness and Bioeconomy

PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. of Poznań University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Economics

Department of Economics and Economy Policy in Agribusiness

Prospects for the Development of Polish Agri-Food Exports to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Countries

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The aim of the study was to determine the attitudes and ethnocentric behaviors of consumers on the local food market. The survey also included consumers’ purchasing channels, which helped determine the specifics of local product distribution. The criterion for classifying the respondent into the research sample was to indicate the economic motives of consumer ethnocentrism as a factor in the purchase decision. 1,009 correctly completed questionnaires were accepted for analysis. Descriptive statistics and the U Mann–Whitney test were used in the analyses. The results made it possible to determine the products appreciated by respondents, such as eggs, dairy products, and groats. Local alcoholic beverages in the categories “local wines” and “craft beers” were appreciated more by men. The respondents had the lowest interest in oils produced locally. Among the features with which consumers associate local food are producer identification, freshness, good taste, and affordability. Consumers take advantage of short supply chains such as direct sales by the producer or take the opportunity to buy products at local events or thematic trips such as the culinary trail. Consumers are able to accept a price increase of 10–15%, with larger increases they start looking for cheaper substitutes. In conclusion it was stated that the market for local products is a source of support for the local economy, therefore the authorities should create conditions for its development through undertaking appropriate measures promoting local products.
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Consumer Ethnocentrism on the Market for Local Products: Determinants of Consumer Behaviors

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The aim of the research is to present electricity consumption in rural areas and the preferred directions of development of the energy sector in Poland in the opinion of the rural population of the Podkarpackie and Lubelskie Voivodships. Due to the extensive scope of the analysis, the part showing the actual energy consumption was based on the data from statistical offices, whereas the part concerning the prospects was based on the survey conducted in 2021 among 516 inhabitants of rural areas of the Podkarpackie and Lubelskie Voivodships, which are typically agricultural regions. The study was partial and was carried out using the diagnostic survey method and the CAWI technique. The study was not probabilistic. The study shows that the surveyed inhabitants of rural areas positively assessed the consequences of the European Union climate policy for the natural environment and expect greater state support to increase the share of renewable energy sources in Poland’s energy mix and to apply the requirements for the energy efficiency of devices. The respondents were convinced of the possibility of covering and replacing energy from conventional sources. They positively assessed energy from renewable sources, perceiving renewable energy, mainly photovoltaics, as the main source of energy in Poland’s energy mix.
</abstract>

DEng, DSc, Rzeszow University of Technology

Faculty of Management, Department of Enterprise, Management, and Eco-Innovation

DEng, DSc, Rzeszow University of Technology, Faculty of Management

Department of Enterprise, Management, and Eco-Innovation

Rural Electricity Consumption: Reality and Prospects in the Opinion of the Inhabitants of Podkarpackie and Lubelskie Voivodships

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The aim of the article is to present the phenomenon of land grabbing and its impact on ensuring food security in Africa between 2000 and 2020. The analysis used data on large-scale land acquisitions from the Land Matrix database and legal acts from the online contracts repository, i.e., the Open Land Contracts (OLC) kept at Columbia University. In the article non-reactive research methods were used, i.e., the analysis of the literature on the subject as well as statistical and descriptive methods. Between 2000 and 2020, Africa recorded the highest number of large-scale land acquisitions on a global scale. Transactions were concluded throughout the period, although most of them were concluded from 2007 to 2011, i.e., during the periods of higher prices of agricultural products. In terms of specific objectives, agricultural transactions were dominated by food crops (182 transactions and over 1 million ha of contracted land) and crop production for biofuels (55 transactions and almost 1.5 million ha of land). 64.3% of agricultural land purchase transactions were in the operational phase, i.e., in production. The conducted research allowed for drawing the following conclusions: some of the agreements omitted the issue of food security of local communities altogether, which contradicts the declarations of national governments, whose aim was to guarantee it as a result of the defectiveness of the contracts (vide the methods of their conclusion and enforcement), they are unilaterally invalidated by the national courts in the host country or are sued by investors; land grabbing contributes to the loss or reduction of food security in developing countries that seek to obtain investments in arable land.
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Land Grabbing and Food Security in Developing Countries

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The aim of the paper was to assess the debt burden on farmers and suggest policy solutions. The study is based on a field survey of six hundred indebted farmers. It showed that the average amount of debt per sampled farmer was INR 563,960 (USD 6,945.24).1 The study found a skewed debt access to semi--medium and medium farmers. The largest debt share is mostly observed among semi-medium, medium, and large farmers, as the top 33% of farmers account for 71.8% of the debt share. By contrast, the bottom 48% (marginal farmers) are left to struggle with only 14.8% of the debt share. The source-wise distribution shows that one-third of debt share is still acquired from non-institutional sources. It depicts that non-institutional sources are also engaged in the disbursement of loans to agriculture sector at higher and compound interest rates. Furthermore, commission agents’ or <italic>arhtiyas</italic>’2 role is dominant among the farmers. Nearly half of the debt amount is still used for non-productive activities. This is one of the major challenges for policymakers to resolve the problem of indebtedness.
</abstract>

PhD, Prof., Chaudhary Devi Lal University

PhD, Assoc. Prof. of Chaudhary Devi Lal University

Indebtedness: Field Notes on Farmers from Haryana, India

AHEAD OF PRINT

Volume 378 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)

Volume 377 (2023): Issue 4 (December 2023)

Volume 376 (2023): Issue 3 (September 2023)

Volume 375 (2023): Issue 2 (June 2023)

Volume 374 (2023): Issue 1 (March 2023)

Volume 373 (2022): Issue 4 (December 2022)

Volume 372 (2022): Issue 3 (September 2022)

Volume 371 (2022): Issue 2 (June 2022)

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Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej

 The quarterly Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej / Problems of Agricultural Economics is the oldest and most representative journal in Poland dealing with agri-food economics and related disciplines. Since its beginning, it has been the main forum for presenting the key scientific and research findings, fuelling scientific disputes, forming new theories and concepts of practical solutions, conducting discussions around the methodology of scientific research. Published articles are dedicated to the fields of agricultural economics and policy, food industry and trade, rural areas development, globalization and regionalization, sustainability, environment protection, bioeconomy, climate changes, innovations and digital technologies, risk management and insurances, as well as finance and marketing.   The journal reaches out to many foreign research centres to serve as an important tool for exchange of information on current directions in research between the Polish and international readership. With contribution from leading international scholars, the journal promotes new developments in research and methods of analysis.     Preference is given to original articles that test, extend or build strong theoretical frameworks while empirically investigating the issues. All empirical methods, including, but not limited to, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed ones, are welcome.     The journal publishes full-texts of papers in Open Access. All papers are made available under the Creative Commons CC BY (Attribution) international license. The papers available on the website from 2014 are in Polish and English. Since 2016, the primary version of the journal has been the online English version. The website www.zer.waw.pl features full texts of papers published from 2009 as well as other selected archival issues.     The Publisher of the journal – Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics National Research Institute – is a member of Crossref; therefore all articles published in the journal are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Moreover, the Editorial Team uses the Crossref Similarity Check.     The journal is indexed in the following databases: Web of Science (Emerging Sources Citation Index), CABI, ERIH Plus, Agro, BazEkon, CeON, CEJSH, SIGŻ, AgEcon Search, SSRN, and ICI Journals Master List.     According to the Communication from the Minister for Education and Science dated 1 December 2021 concerning the list of scientific journals and materials from international conferences, the journal Zagadnienia Ekonomiki Rolnej / Problems of Agricultural Economics scored 40 points.     There is no charge for submitting to the journal.     NOTE: Polish authors are requested to submit their manuscripts in both Polish and English.   Archiving   Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.   Plagiarism Policy   The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 