Agriculture and the Bioeconomy: A Socioeconomic Analysis of Central and Eastern European Countries

Abstract

The bioeconomy is a complex and increasingly relevant field, and agriculture represents an essential sector for its development. The bioeconomy presents an opportunity for sustainable agriculture that is beneficial for the environment and public health, both globally and particularly for nations with centralized agricultural systems, such as the former socialist Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). This article takes a novel approach to investigate the bioeconomic indicators in CEECs’ agriculture. It combines the hierarchical grouping method with an index based on socioeconomic indicators specific to the bioeconomy. It aims to find how the selected countries performed in terms of agriculture indicators. The socioeconomic indicator analysis showed that some countries had more linear evolutions than others, while some of them clearly outperformed the average of the region. The cluster analysis divided the countries into three relevant groups. The findings revealed patterns of convergence, but also important differences in the region. These results strengthen the scientific basis for the creation of agricultural bioeconomy strategies and argue for the need of the active engagement of all BIOEAST members in the initiative. We argue that agricultural architectures in Central and Eastern European countries are not just determined by employment circumstances or the extent of agricultural areas, but also by the dynamics of the value of the indicators.