Discussion Papers 2004.
New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the
Urban-Rural Relationship 20-35. p.
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE
RURAL SPACE IN POLAND: SELECTED PROBLEMS
JERZY BAŃSKI
Poland has been for already more than a decade functioning in conditions of the
new socio-economic system. Thus, one can dare the first observations concerning
the processes, which have taken place during this period in rural areas. It appears,
though, that the most important transformations occurred within urban space, while
the countryside remained for a long time dormant.
Yet, the last decade of the past century brought new elements into the socio-
economic life of the countryside. First of all – the new economic functions ap-
peared, primarily tourism, service, and housing, life quality having improved
within the rural areas. On the attractive areas, tourism and recreation became the
economic activation factors, while the revenues of the local population accruing
from the tourist services exceed their revenues from farming.
On the other hand, the residential and service functions develop dynamically in
the suburban zones. Numerous petty businesses, production and service oriented,
appeared along the primary transport routes. One can in this case speak of urbani-
sation of the countryside, since these areas are with respect to the functions ful-
filled and the job locations of their inhabitants more like towns than like villages.
The primary transport routes have thereby become the urbanisation corridors.
The suburban areas are also becoming the bedrooms of towns. An increasing
number of persons having lived until quite recently in towns move to the country-
side. They are usually well educated and wealthy, with high demands as to the
quality of life. Thereby, the state of social and technical infrastructure is improved
and the processes of economic activation of these areas advance.
The majority of the rural areas are, however, still dominated by the agricultural
function.1 The map of the functional structure of the countryside, elaborated on the
basis of a set of diagnostic features, indicates that the agricultural functions domi-
nate on the areas of central and eastern Poland (Figure 1). The level of develop-
ment of agriculture there is very low, and thus it is necessary to search for other
economic functions that could activate these areas.
1 Bański, J.–Stola, W. 2002: Transformation of the spatial and functional structure of rural
areas in Poland, Rural Studies, IGSO, Warsaw, 3.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
21
Figure 1
Monofunctional agricultural areas, 1999
Source: edited by the author.
Polish agriculture displays an important lag with respect to the agriculture of the
countries of the European Union. The indicator of agricultural development calcu-
lated on the basis of six features (employment level in agriculture, average yields
of wheat and sugar beets, equipment with tractors and wheat harvesters, milk
yields, value of agricultural exports per person in agriculture, acreage of farms)
shows that even with respect to the EU outsiders we are far behind.
The results obtained can be compared to a 100 metre run. We can imagine that
the runners represent the countries of the EU and Poland. At the sound of the
starter’s signal they begin to run. At the instant the British farmer crosses the finish
line, the Danish one has run 90 metres, the German – 80 metres, the Greek – 50
metres, while the Polish farmer – only 35 metres, and so has twice as much yet to
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
22 JERZY
BAŃSKI
cover. When considering this image, though, we should remember that the farmers
from the EU are running on the dope (subsidies, compensations...).
Figure 2
The indicator of the level of development of Polish agriculture in comparison
with the EU countries, 1999
Wlk.Brytania
Dania
Belgia
Francja
Szwecja
Holandia
Niemcy
Hiszpania
Irlandia
Finlandia
Austria
Włochy
Portugalia
Grecja
Polska
0,0
20,0
40,0
60,0
80,0
100,0
Source: edited by the author.
The recent years have aggravated the differences, because agriculture in Poland
went through a serious crisis. Still, not all of the features of our agriculture ought to
be evaluated in a negative way. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as having
taken shape in the last decade, aiming at “ecologisation” and lowering of intensity
of the agricultural activities, determines the direction that is advantageous for Pol-
ish farming. Polish farming, namely, produces over significant surfaces with the
use of extensive and ecological processes. This is confirmed by the use of mineral
fertilisers, which is lower in Poland 2–3 times and of the pesticides, which is lower
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
23
seven times than in the countries of the European Union. It can be concluded that
Poland has the smallest distance with respect to the new model of agriculture being
established within the framework of the CAP.
The period of the last several decades has been characterised by a slight, but
constant, decrease of the agricultural land area (Figure 3). A similar process has
been taking place in other countries of Europe. The areas of all the other land use
categories – and especially of forests – have been increasing at the expense of
agricultural land (Figure 4). One should add at this point that – in addition – a
significant part of land classified as agricultural is in reality not used. This part
consists of fallow and wastelands, whose area amounted in 1996 to almost 2
million hectares. Their shares were the highest in western and northwestern Poland.
The structure of agricultural land use has not changed in a significant manner
during the 1990s. Within the framework of land use the area of arable land and
productive meadows has been decreasing, while that of orchards and pastures –
increasing. Similar processes had been also observed in the preceding years.2
Figure 3
Change in the area of agricultural land in the years 1962–1996
(in ‘000 hectares)
21000
19000
17000
15000 196
196
197
197
197
198
198
199
199
199
2
6
0
4
8
2
6
0
4
8
Niemcy
Włochy
Polska
Wlk.Brytania
Source: edited by the author.
2 Bański, J. 1992: The structure of agricultural land in Poland and tendencies of changes in its
components over the period 1975–1988, Comparisons of landscape pattern dynamics in European
rural areas, EUROMAB Research Program, 1991 Seminars, pp. 260–267.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
24 JERZY
BAŃSKI
Figure4
Area of agricultural land (A) and forests (B), 1988–1999
A
`000 ha
18800
18700
18600
18500
18400
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
B
`000 ha
9100
9050
9000
8950
8900
8850
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
Source: edited by the author.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
25
The 1990s brought enormous changes in the land ownership structure. The so-
called “socialised” sector of agriculture (the state and co-operative farms) col-
lapsed, and a significant part of its land was taken over by private farming. Yet in
1989 the “socialised” sector functioned on close to 24% of agricultural land, while
in 1996 – on only 7% (although still formally owning roughly 20% of agricultural
land). The Agency of Agricultural Property of the State Treasury, established in
1992, took over the land of the state farms. Note that although agricultural land is
mostly in private hands, forests remain almost exclusively state-owned. In 1993 the
public sector owned 83% of the entire forest area.
There is an increasing interest in land purchase from the side of foreigners.
Thus, in the years 1990–1998 the licences were granted for land purchase of the
following total areas: in the period 1990–1995 – altogether 7,115 hectares, in 1996
– 2,439 hectares, in 1997 – 2,942 hectares, in 1998 – 4,355 hectares. The highest
intensity of turnover with this respect is observed in northern Poland, where the
land formerly owned by the state farms is relatively cheap. The purchase of agri-
cultural land being state property, is very difficult for a foreigner. There are, cer-
tainly, informal manners of purchasing land by the foreigners. The most frequently
used is the method of “fictitious marriage” with a Polish citizen, or the purchase by
a substitute, who is a Polish citizen.
Land prices are highly spatially differentiated. The highest prices are quoted in
large urban agglomerations, but the turnover is marginal. With respect to the
smaller localities the most expensive land is in the vicinity of Warsaw, where
prices for 1 square metre reach 100 Euro. One can build there a hotel, a restaurant,
a warehouse – but these plots are not meant for industrial development. In the War-
saw suburban zone the land, on which industrial premises can be built, costs be-
tween 15 and 50 Euro per 1 sq. m. In comparison, land prices in the vicinity of
Poznań range between 3 and 20 Euro per 1 sq. m.
During the last decade there has been an increasing interest in construction of
second homes on recreation plots. Land is being purchased primarily by the resi-
dents of large agglomerations (Warsaw, Cracow, Lodz, etc.). The attractive tourist
regions (Carpathian Mts., Sudety Mts., Masurian Lakeland, etc.) enjoy the highest
degree of interest, along with the forested suburban areas. Land (usually of low
agricultural quality) is classified as non-agricultural and sold to purchasers for very
high prices. Over the last ten years the price of such land in the most attractive
locations increased several to a dozen times.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
26 JERZY
BAŃSKI
Table 1
Agricultural land and farm areas according to the Agricultural
Census of 1996
Items
Agricultural land Shares of total
Average farm
(‘000 hectares) agricultural land
acreage
(%)
Private sector
16,099.2
92.8
6.5
Domestic private ownership
15,981.3
92.1
5.2
including:
Private farms
14,639.1
84.4
4.8
Production co-operatives
501.5
2.9
203.3
Other farms
18.3
0.1
29.0
Foreign property
72.9
0.4
729.1
Mixed property
45.0
0.3
1,249.5
Public sector
1,249.1
7.2
619.6
State property
1,242.2
7.2
636.0
Communal property
1.5
–
29.2
Mixed property
5.4
–
538.5
Source: Rocznik Statystyczny Rolnictwa 1998 (Agricultural Yearbook 1998), GUS, War-
szawa.
Prices of agricultural land are decisively lower and depend first of all upon land
quality, location, and plot area. The average price of 1 hectare of land sold in 1998
was at about 1,000 Euro. Relatively low prices characterise the land owned by the
State Treasury Agency’s Land Reserve in the former Tarnobrzeg, Chełm and
Krosno voivodships (roughly 300 Euro per hectare).
The last decade of the past century was characterised – similarly as the previous
years – by the outflow of population from rural areas to towns. This outflow af-
fected mainly the young, primarily women, seeking better conditions of living.
The feminisation coefficient is usually above 100 within urban areas, and below
100 in the countryside. While the excess number of women in towns does not bring
about negative processes, their shortage in rural areas is a clearly disadvantageous
phenomenon. We mean here first of all the women in marital age (20–29 years), of
whom one can say that they are “in short supply” over numerous rural areas (Fig-
ure 5). Migration of the young from the countryside contributes to the ageing of
some regions of the country (Figure 6).
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
27
Figure 5
Areas of shortage of women in the marital age
(the coefficient of feminisation of the 20–29 years age group below 90%)
Source: edited by the author.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
28 JERZY
BAŃSKI
Figure 6
Areas with the share of population in the post-productive age exceeding 17%
(the average for Poland: 14%), 1999
Source: edited by the author.
The most important contemporary issue in Poland is the increasing un-
employment. The areas, featuring high unemployment rates (Figure 7), are
bound for poverty and various social pathologies. Joblessness entails eco-
nomic, social and political costs. Strong economic impulses are necessary
that could quickly limit the reach of unemployment.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
29
Figure 7
Unemployment rates registered according to counties, June 2000
Source: edited by the author.
The highest intensity of the persistent processes of population outflow is ob-
served, in particular, in the regions of Podlasie, and on the Lublin Upland.3 One
should account, though, also for the existence of the constant process of population
outflow from rural to urban areas. Countryside is the backbone of the demographic
development of the country, and so the outflow of the population from rural to
urban areas ought to be regarded as a positive phenomenon. Rural overpopulation
is disadvantageous, because it brings the increase of the number of farms and a
decrease of their average acreage. This is not conducive to intensification and
3 Eberhardt P. 1989: Regiony wyludniające się w Polsce, Prace Geograficzne, IGiPZ PAN,
148.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
30 JERZY
BAŃSKI
modernisation of production. The situation is opposite on the areas, where there is
population decrease. It is certainly true that the most enterprising, young, and rela-
tively well-educated persons leave the countryside. Yet, the population decrease is
advantageous for the increase of farm acreage, and thereby also their modernisation
and mechanisation.
Figure 8
Areas with population decline, 1 dot – 20 persons
1970–1978
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
31
1978–1988
Source: edited by the author.
Poland and the nine other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, aspiring to
the European Union, have been included, since the beginning of the 1990s, in the
various pre-accession assistance programs, whose objectives are either preparation
to the membership or evening out of the economic and social differences in the
regional setting. Among the programs, in which Poland has been included, three –
PHARE, SAPARD and ISPA – have played or should play the key role.
A large proportion of the PHARE means was directed to the broadly understood
development of rural areas, although the precise determination of respective finan-
cial stream is difficult, because no concrete task of this nature was defined. It is, on
the other hand, possible to estimate the sums meant for the development of farm-
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
32 JERZY
BAŃSKI
ing. The PHARE assistance in this domain started already in 1990 in the form of an
in-kind donation of 100 million ECU of worth, consisting of feeding stuff, mineral
fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, etc. During the subsequent years, until 1997,
some 100 million Euro were disbursed for the development of agriculture.
Figure 9
PHARE means granted for the restructuring of agriculture by the EU,
in million Euro (Years of Financing Memorandum: 1990–2000:
Agriculture, PKE)
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Source: edited by the author.
In the consecutive years the means originating from the assistance programs
were gradually shifted towards the issues related to the European integration (ad-
justment of the legal regulations, formation of institutions, etc.). Thereby, the re-
spective means were no longer so “visible” in the countryside, as in the preceding
years.
Obtaining of the assistance means depends to a large extent upon the justifica-
tion and quality of the projects submitted. Hence, it is the knowledge and ingenuity
of the persons asking for such means that come to the forefront. It namely turns out
that the volume of the PHARE funds granted (Figure 10) depends upon the educa-
tion level of the commune councillors (Figure 11), most probably to a greater de-
gree than upon the actual needs of the individual areas.
The assistance funds were not always being used properly. The inspection car-
ried out by NIK (the State Inspection Board) in 2000 showed that the PHARE
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
33
means have been disbursed on the entirely unnecessary reports of the consulting
firms (mainly the western ones), that there are delays in realisation of the projects
extending over many months, and a lot of negligence is observed. Thus, for in-
stance, the Technical Assistance Information Exchange bureau, being an institution
of the EU, envisaged for 1999 the expenditures on training, translation, database
construction, etc., of more than 11 million Euro.4 Thereby, the funds flowing from
Brussels, constituting formally assistance for Poland, would return there again. The
question can therefore be posed: who does ultimately take advantage of such as-
sistance?
Figure 10
PHARE contracts, 1995–2000
Source: edited by the author.
4 Europa, http://europa.eu.int.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
34 JERZY
BAŃSKI
Figure 11
Commune councillors with university education (%)
Source: edited by the author.
Conclusions
The development “inertia” of the rural areas is much bigger than that of towns, and
so the processes of transformations, taking place after 1989, have been relatively
slow in the countryside.
One should emphasise the progressing differentiation of the countryside with
respect to the economic functions fulfilled. The increasing areas constitute a mix-
ture of different functions – starting with agriculture, through forestry, down to
residential function.
Jerzy Banski : Contemporary Transformations of the Rural Space in Poland: Selected Problems.
In: New Aspects of Regional Transformation and the Urban-Rural Relationship.
Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2004. 20-35. p. Discussion Papers, Special
CONTEMPORARY TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE RURAL SPACE…
35
Table 2
Allocation of the PHARE, SAPARD and ISPA means in 2000
(in million Euro)
Country
PHARE (national
SAPARD
ISPA (the minimum
programs)
variant)
Bulgaria
100 52.1 83.2
Czech
Republic 79 22.1 57.2
Estonia
24 12.1 20.8
Hungary
96 38.1 72.8
Latvia
30 21.8 36.4
Lithuania
42 29.8 41.6
Poland
398 168.7 312.0
Romania
242 150.6 208.0
Slovakia
49 18.3 36.4
Slovenia 25
6.3
10.4
Totals 1,085
520
878.8
Source: TAIEX.
Similarly as in the previous years, the recent decade was characterised by the
decrease of land under agricultural use, mainly to the advantage of forests and, to a
lesser degree, the transport and housing areas. Due to the liquidation of the state
farms and the privatisation processes the ownership situation on the land market
changed as well.
Despite an improvement in the quality of life in the countryside there are areas,
which are being left by the excessive population numbers. These are mainly young
and enterprising people. Consequently, rural areas are ageing, and this is particu-
larly visible in the East of Poland.
A new process is constituted by the growing unemployment. Jobs were
first lost by the bi-occupational persons owning farms and at the same time
employed outside of farming. The actual level of unemployment in rural
areas is hard to estimate, since there is a significant hidden unemployment,
resulting from the excess supply of manpower in farming.
The analysis of the positive and negative processes taking place in rural areas
motivates to drawing the conclusion that the countryside paid a much higher price
for the transformation than the town did.