AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION OF MANAGERS OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS IN POLAND IN 2002-2010.

The level of education completed by farm managers plays an important role in agricultural development. The main aim of this article was to describe the structure of and changes in the educational status of farm managers in Poland in 2002-2010. The analysed managers had completed the following levels of education: university degree in agriculture, secondary school of agriculture or agricultural college, vocational school of agriculture, or a training course in agriculture. The influence of environmental and non-environmental factors was taken into account in the analysis to maximize the reliability of the spatial distribution of data. It was concluded that in both 2002 and 2010, less than 50% of Polish farm managers had completed some form of formal training in agriculture The progress in agricultural technology and production methods creates a demand for highly qualified farmers, thus, education plays an increasingly important role in the modern agricultural sector. An analysis of the educational status of farm managers in Poland in 2010 and the changes observed between 2002 and 2010 clearly point to regional differences. The educational status of farm managers varied significantly across Polish regions, and the observed spatial distribution patterns were determined mainly by historical events and agri-environmental conditions. The educational attainment of farm managers was also positively correlated with the absorption rate of the EU funds, which implies that farm managers with higher educational status are more successful in acquiring the EU funds for Polish agricultural businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]