AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND TRANSITION:
What was expected, what we observed, the lessons learned."
A Joint IAAE- EAAE Seminar
September 6-8, 2007, Budapest, Hungary
(Draft proposal)
Background and Objectives
Over fifteen years have elapsed since the transition from the centrally planned economic
system started in the early 1990’s. During this time agricultures and rural areas of Central and
Eastern Europe have undergone profound structural changes with wide variations in the
degree of transformation and in the rate of success in creating a competitive market and
private ownership based food and agriculture system. By becoming a member of the
European Union transition in its traditional interpretation has been concluded in eight of the
Central European countries and it is close to completion in the EU candidate countries. The
transition to a market based agriculture, however, is far from complete in Southern and
Eastern Europe and especially in the CIS countries.
The major objective of the seminar is to discuss and draw conclusions on the role of
agricultural policy in the transition process in the light of actual progress and current situation
of the countries concerned. In addition the contribution of agricultural economics -both from
the West and from the East- as discipline and profession to the transition process in
agriculture will be discussed. This because a specific objective is to identify priorities and
means to strengthen the agricultural economics profession in Central and Eastern Europe and
determine research and educational priorities for the future.
Topics
1/ The overall transition process: macroeconomic, trade policy and institutional
framework
+ theories and expectations, the reform agenda foreseen by the profession,
+ actual overall progress in transition in the region,
+ underlining factors and characteristics of the observed transition processes.
2/ Land privatization and farm restructuring
+ the reform agenda and proposals,
+ progresses in land privatization and farm restructuring,
+ determinants and differences of outcomes.
3/ Reforms in primary production and in the upstream and downstream sectors
+ what was expected?
+ changes in productivity and competitiveness
+ dramatic changes in vertical and market relations[would’nt “vertical relations” be
sufficient? Is there any difference between vertical relations and market relations? Maybe I
miss something but I don’t understand the distinction],
+ critical lessons.
4/ EU accession experiences
+ a priori impact analysis,
+ observed outcomes so far,
+ results in the lights of predictions: what did we learn?.
5/ What was the contribution of the profession?
+ adequacy of proposals and predictions,
+ where we were right?
+ where we were wrong?
+ was the profession prepared?
+ priorities for the future/in research, training and research and in advocacy/ (??)
Call for papers
Both contributed and invited papers will be presented at the Seminar. Contributed papers will
be selected by an International Program Committee.
Participants who would like to present a paper are requested to submit an extended abstract
(*** words/double spaced pages maximum, everything included) by January 31st, 2007.
Notification of acceptance will be given by March 15th, 2007. The deadline for the final
submission of the accepted papers is June 30th, 2007.
Language
The working language of the seminar will be English
Organization
The seminar will be organized under the auspices of IAAE and EAAE as an IAAE Inter
Conference Seminar and an EAAE European Seminar.
Local organizer is the Corvinus University of Budapest in cooperation with the Hungarian
Agricultural Economics Association, the Hungarian Society of Agricultural Science, the
Hungarian Academy of Science, the Agricultural Research Institute, the Szent István
University, Gödöllő and the University of Debrecen.
Participants
60-80 participants are expected to attend. Registration is accepted on first comes first served
basis
Registration
Participants are asked to pre-register by March 31th, 2007.
registration is June 30th, 2007.
The deadline for final
Participation Fees
The fees have been set at 240 € and include an information package, coffee breaks, 2 lunches,
welcome reception, farewell party, a book of Abstracts and conference pack.
Non
EAAE/IAAE members have to pay for their EAAE (€ 40) or IAAE membership fee (€ 165).
Fees paid before June 30th, 2007
EAAE or IAAE Non-EAAE/IAAE
Members
Members but joining to
EAAE
IAAE
€ 240
€ 280
€ 405
Fees paid after June 30th, 2007
€ 280
€ 320
€ 445
Cancellation Policy
If cancellation is confirmed by July 15th, 2007 (note: only written cancellation by fax or email will be accepted for refund purposes), fees will be refunded less a cancellation fee of
50 Euro. In the case where the candidate has omitted to inform us of cancellation, no fees
will be refunded.
Financial support: Financial support will be available for colleagues from transition
countries having accepted paper. For them, based on request, registration fee will be paid by
organizers.
One day farm tour: there will be a field trip on Saturday, September 6, 2007. Fee: €40
Accommodation will be available at hotels located in the city centre nearby the venue of the
Seminar. Room rates: Single room: € 65-110 Double room: € 75-120
Venue: Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest IX. Fővám tér 8.
International Program Committee
David Coleman (Co-Chair) (Manchester University)
Csaba Csáki (Co-Chair) (Corvinus University of Budapest)
Eugenia Serova (Analytical Centre for Agrifood Economics, Moscow)
Jo Swinnen (Chatolic University, Leuven)
Jerzy Wilkin (Warsaw University)
Ulrich Koester (Kiel University)
Local Organizing Committee
Csaba Forgács (Co-Chair) (Corvinus University of Budapest)
Zoltán Lakner (Corvinus University of Budapest)
András Nábrádi (University of Debrecen)
József Popp (Agricultural Research Institute)
Istvan Szücs (Co-Chair) (Szent István University)
József Tóth (Corvinus University of Budapest)
Gábor Udovecz (Agricultural Research Institute)
László Vajda (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development)
László Villányi (Szent István University, Gödöllő)
Krisztina Fodor/Attila Jámbor (Secretary)
For further information please contact:
Prof. Csaba Forgacs E-mail: csaba.forgacs@uni-corvinus.hu
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, CUB