A preliminary analysis of agriculture in Western Moldavia

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the features of agriculture in Western Moldavia and especially in Botoșani County in a regional context (Western Moldavia), between 2003 and 2010. Since agriculture is an important factor for the economy of an area, it is important to notice and identify the development steps of this economic sector. Sometimes, administrative units have a natural tendency to specialize in certain crops and livestock according to the qualitative and/or restrictive factors. This phenomenon highlights the modernization of agriculture and the elimination of subsistence farming. An important actor for the positive metamorphosis of agriculture in Western Moldavia and the engine for economic development in rural areas is represented by the European funds, which encouraged the development of agriculture, and particularly its specialization. This study analyses the concentration and share of the cultivated land and livestock density, also comprising a set of clusters made at the level of the basic administrative units starting from these indicators. The present paper is also meant to investigate the present stage of development of the study area, emphasizing the progress / regress that the agricultural field recorded between 2003 and 2010.