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Romania has an agriculture in which approximately 37% of the population carries out their activity, with approximately 3 million plots, whose average surface is 1.5 ha, a fact that acutely requires the organization of farmers in associative forms, in order to modernize this important economic branch. Starting from these considerations, we analyszed, using the survey method based on a questionnaire, in 3 communes from Călărași county, the situation of farmers, on a structured sample based on the information taken from the Agricultural Register of the town halls, with a number of 238 respondents, having as its main objective the identification and drawing of development directions for small farmers, starting from the situation highlighted by means of processed and analyzed statistical data, but also by applying the opinion survey among small farmers. In order to evaluate the correlation of two important variables in the questionnaire, respectively, the farmer age and the farm size, the chisquare test was used, a test of statistical significance, through which we analyzed the frequencies for the measurable variables, on a nominal or ordinal scale. The possibility of association with other owners of farms in order to develop was analyzed: for the use of the land, the possibility of association being accepted by 46.2% of the respondents; for the association for the purpose of joint use of agricultural machinery, more than 33% support this possibility; for the valorization of agricultural products, over 30% want association with other farmers; 37% would associate for the joint rearing of animals; 34.5% want an association for the processing of agricultura products, 34.5% are followers of this association. We conclude that the organization of agricultural producers in associative forms opens new opportunities for economic development, by attracting local, zonal or regional advantages, and through collective bargaining power to increase the prosperity of the associated members and the communities they belong to. We also appreciate that among the factors of progress for the sustainable development of agriculture and the rural environment, an important place is occupied by the establishment and development of efficient associative structures, which contribute to the socio-economic stabilization of rural areas by favoring the development of agrarian structures integrated with market flows and economically efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the importance of the optimal size of an agricultural holding for increasing the efficiency of the activity carried out, the objective of this work was to carry out a comparative analysis between 2 development regions of Romania regarding the situation of agricultural holdings. The choice of the two regions, South-Muntenia and South-East, was made based on their agricultural potential, and the monitored indicators were both the number of agricultural holdings and their size. The analysis assumed the monitoring of the evolution of the indicators in the period 2010-2020. The comparison was made not only between the two development areas, but also at the national and community level, the aim being to identify some solutions for the development and increase of the economic performance within the agricultural holdings in Romania and for the reduction of existing gaps both at the national and regional level and community. In order to carry out the research, we started from the analysis of specialized literature, following the role that agriculture has in economic development, as well as how it contributes to the formation of the GDP, followed by the collection, processing and analysis of regional and community statistical data regarding to the situation of agricultural holdings. The processing and interpretation of the data allowed us to formulate conclusions regarding the situation of agricultural holdings in the two development regions and to formulate recommendations. From the conducted research, it emerged that there are differences in Romania's agriculture both at the national and regional levels. For the year 2020, the average surface of an agricultural holding in Romania was 4.42 ha, which shows that in the Sud-Muntenia region the holdings are the closest to this average, having an area of 4.4 ha. At the level of the South-East region, the agricultural area is almost 50% larger than the average area, given that it is 6.7 ha. This influences both the way agricultural land is exploited and the profitability of agricultural holdings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to objectively analyze the situation of agricultural holdings in Dambovita county, both in terms of their size and dimension, but also their evolution, with the aim of highlighting the existing gaps compared to the European Union average, problems and dysfunctions what characterizes the agricultural sector, but also its prospects for development and performance growth. The research methodology first of all assumed the analysis of specialized literature regarding the importance of agriculture for the economy and its role in increasing income for farmers, and on the other hand, the collection and processing of national and county statistical data regarding agricultural holdings. Based on the analyzed data, conclusions and recommendations were formulated regarding the reduction of existing gaps between Romanian agriculture, Dambovita County and community agriculture. It was thus established that compared to the average size of the agricultural holding registered at the national level, of 2.37 ha, at the level of Dambovita county, it is 4.37 ha. This is due to the specific relief and activity. However, the average size of agricultural holdings is well below the average size of existing holdings at European Union level, where it is 152.4 ha in the Czech Republic, 90.4 ha in the United Kingdom or 77.5 ha in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the agricultural sector, of the organic production and of the agricultural labour market leads the authors to study their dynamics and characteristics with regard to Romania. Food safety is linked to the agricultural activity's robustness and its evolution, given that the primary sector is the one that defines economic growth. The paper studies the link between the economic growth and the organic agricultural production in Romania, including labour market's characteristics. The time period is 2010-2019, and the methodology is that of a cross-sectional study. The multiple regression model is used to analyse the relationship between Romania's economic growth and seven factors which characterize the agricultural sector. The results show that, between Romania's economic growth and the variables under study, there is a link that is maintained over time, and which is positive in some cases and negative in other cases. Agricultural technology decreases the role and contribution of salaried and non-salaried labour in agriculture to Romanian economic growth. Processing of agricultural products has the same effect on growth. Instead, the authors outline the important role of organic agriculture, of agricultural services and of livestock production in the Romanian economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romania is one of the European countries with the most favorable soil and climate conditions in order to obtain quality agricultural productions and in significant quantities, which can cover an important segment of the domestic demand for agri-food products. Despite the considerable potential, the profitability in Romanian agriculture is still modest, indicating a use of production factors below the level of optimal values. Based on these considerations and predicting that in 2021, the population need for agri-food products consumption will increase, as a result of the repatriation of approximately two million Romanian citizens, who worked in the European Union countries due to the crisis generated by Covid-19, we initiated the present study on the agricultural production evolution in Călărași county, in comparison to South Muntenia Region, of which it is part and with the production at national level. For the data processing and interpretation, the method of statistical indicators was used, respectively, the comparative analysis of the researched phenomena. The comparison method was used in the analysis of the data series that covered time periods between 2000 and 2007 and 2008 and 2018, depending on the available data. For each period, the indicators were calculated: average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and annual growth rate. It results clearly that for the next period it is important to intensify some measures to provide subsidies, to use on large scale the need for irrigation, fertilization and other activities that will give perspective to evolution in this area and lead to the agrio-food security and independence of Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze and highlight the most important meteorological parameters which are in strong bound with severe weather events and their impact on agriculture in the Western part of Romania. Forecasting severe weather events is one of the most challenging tasks in operational meteorology. The complexity of the forecasting process comes from the large amount of data which is to be analyzed in order to issue a severe weather alert. Nowcasting is used as a short-term three hour forecast in which severe weather events might appear. It is usually issued with the help of the Weather Surveillance Radar either by a forecaster or by a computer software. Severe weather events such as squalls, supercells and flashfloods tend to become normal under the current climate change situation. One of the most important areas in which climate change and its associated severe weather events produce important damage is agriculture. The climate of a region is determined by factors such as physical, dynamic and radiative geography. They directly affect spatial and temporal variations of climatic elements in a given territory. The Western part of Romania is characterized as having a warm temperate continental climate with moderate humidity originating from the South and South Western part of Europe. By analyzing the synoptic situation, the convection indices (KI, CAPE, CTI, TTI) together with RADAR and satellite images, weather related hazards are identified and hazard maps are compelled. Due to the humid air, which originates from the South Western part of Europe, convection is initiated and severe thunderstorms may develop. Risks associated with Cumulonimbus clouds (hail, squalls, flashfloods) account for the majority of the agriculture-related severe weather events. This study points out the importance of agriculture related severe weather forecasts as well as mitigation strategies and adaptation measures for climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent years, the effects of extreme climate phenomena (mainly heat-related) on agricultural crops, infrastructure and human health have become increasingly severe as a result of their complex interactions with the particularities of the urban/rural habitat, as well as the social and economic factors. In Romania, heat-related phenomena (e.g. drought, heat waves) are affecting wide areas in the southern half of the territory where the study area (Bucharest Metropolitan Area) lies. The paper aims to develop a multi-criteria vulnerability assessment using both quantitative and qualitative methods. 23 indicators were selected and processed in order to assess various components of socio-economic and environmental vulnerability to heat-related phenomena using the statistical data available at local administrative units (LAU). The indicators were grouped into the three key components of vulnerability (potential exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) on two dimensions (socio-economic and environmental) resulting two indexes: Socio-Economic Vulnerability Index (SEVI) and Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI). Finally, an integrated Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) (using Hull score, average 50 and standard deviation 14) was computed. • Socio-economic and environmental vulnerability to heat-related phenomena in Bucharest Metropolitan Area. • A multi-criteria vulnerability assessment using both quantitative and qualitative methods. • Indicators grouped into the vulnerability components: potential exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. • A Socio-Economic Vulnerability Index (SEVI) and a Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) have resulted. • Finally, an integrated Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) was computed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]