Ioan Sebastian Bruma | Romanian Academy - Iasi Subsidiary (original) (raw)

Papers by Ioan Sebastian Bruma

This deliverable investigates the socio-economic effects of ecological approaches to farming thro... more This deliverable investigates the socio-economic effects of ecological approaches to farming through implementing two participatory approaches, namely Delphi exercise and Q-method, at the level of a case study area (CSA). The focus is on how people and other productive assets are employed and remunerated by ecological approaches to agriculture, particularly those aspects that can influence employment, and drive the prosperity and vitality of local communities and some rural businesses. It is based on the collaborative research on Task 4.2 'Socio-economic impact of ecological agriculture at the territorial level' of the LIFT project between UNIKENT (United Kingdom-UK) (Task Leader), BOKU (Austria), INRAE (France), VetAgro Sup (France), DEMETER (Greece), MTA KRTK (Hungary), UNIBO (Italy), IRWiR PAN (Poland), IAE-AR (Romania), SLU (Sweden), SRUC (UK). Beginning with the Delphi exercise, this deliverable presents qualitative information extracted from stakeholders in the followi...

In the current context of increasing concerns for healthy agri-food systems, the adoption of ecol... more In the current context of increasing concerns for healthy agri-food systems, the adoption of ecological farming practices has gained ground and visibility both as sustainable approach to the farming activity and as scientific approach. The paper intends to analyse the differences between the organic and conventional systems of livestock raising in Dornelor Basin, Suceava county. The comparison of the two systems was based on several dimensions – labour, agricultural incomes, use of agricultural inputs, adoption of ecological farming practices, etc. The results obtained showed that both farming systems support, in different proportions, the health of ecosystems and inhabitants in the investigated area.

The aim of this paper is to present tangible forms of knowledge generated by analyzing regional/l... more The aim of this paper is to present tangible forms of knowledge generated by analyzing regional/local experiences, during more than ten years of synergetic cooperation between scientific researchers and public consultants in providing "public goods" for rural development in Romania. In this regards, the article contains a theoretical approach of the key concepts and a practical approach referring to the major steps undertaken in order to adjust, at least locally, the "classical triangle" to the new rural paradigm.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The actual development challenges impose new criteria of national performance evaluation, the con... more The actual development challenges impose new criteria of national performance evaluation, the concept of wellbeing tending to be measured not just in terms of economic and social dimensions, but also vs. the environment. Accordingly, considering the national environmental performance among the EU countries in 2006–2019 period, we grouped them and concentrated on the clusters registering the highest and lowest levels, analyzing how the components of the human and economic dimensions influence it. Applying panel data models, our main results emphasized that, firstly, for the countries with a better environmental performance, sufficient drinking water, safe sanitation, education, gender equality, and good governance were significant; in the countries with the lowest levels of environmental wellbeing, sufficient food, sufficient to drink, education, and income distribution were insignificant, while the remaining components were relevant. Secondly, in both groups of countries, organic fa...

Agricultural Systems

Resilience is the ability to deal with shocks and stresses, including the unknown and previously ... more Resilience is the ability to deal with shocks and stresses, including the unknown and previously unimaginable, such as the Covid-19 crisis. Objective: This paper assesses (i) how different farming systems were exposed to the crisis, (ii) which resilience capacities were revealed and (iii) how resilience was enabled or constrained by the farming systems' social and institutional environment. Methods: The 11 farming systems included have been analysed since 2017. This allows a comparison of pre-Covid-19 findings and the Covid-19 crisis. Pre-Covid findings are from the SURE-Farm systematic sustainability and resilience assessment. For Covid-19 a special data collection was carried out during the early stage of lockdowns. Results and conclusions: Our case studies found limited impact of Covid-19 on the production and delivery of food and other agricultural products. This was due to either little exposure or the agile activation of robustness capacities of the farming systems in combination with an enabling institutional environment. Revealed capacities were mainly based on already existing connectedness among farmers and more broadly in value chains. Across cases, the experience of the crisis triggered reflexivity about the operation of the farming systems. Recurring topics were the need for shorter chains, more fairness towards farmers, and less dependence on migrant workers. However, actors in the farming systems and the enabling environment generally focused on the immediate issues and gave little real consideration to long-term implications and challenges. Hence, adaptive or transformative capacities were much less on display than coping capacities. The comparison with pre-Covid findings mostly showed similarities. If challenges, such as shortage of labour, already loomed before, they persisted during the crisis. Furthermore, the eminent role of resilience attributes was confirmed. In cases with high connectedness and diversity we found that these system characteristics contributed significantly to dealing with the crisis. Also the focus on coping capacities was already visible before the crisis. We are not sure yet whether the focus on shortterm robustness just reflects the higher visibility and urgency of shocks compared to slow processes that undermine or threaten important system functions, or whether they betray an imbalance in resilience capacities at the expense of adaptability and transformability. Significance: Our analysis indicates that if transformations are required, e.g. to respond to concerns about transnational value chains and future pandemics from zoonosis, the transformative capacity of many farming systems needs to be actively enhanced through an enabling environment.

Sustainability

Should you attend to the relevant published literature on perceptions belonging consumers of ecol... more Should you attend to the relevant published literature on perceptions belonging consumers of ecological products, it can be easily noticed that, as a rule, the interpretation insists heavily on the analysis of an error: the consumer’s confusion about the ecological product. The official concept of an ecological product does not overlap with the idea of an ecological product at the mental level of the consumer. Most studies, if not all of them, tax this confusion and analyze it as a deviant phenomenon. The starting point for this study was based on this very confusion: If there is so much confusion, it most likely means we are dealing with a symbolic projection at a social level. We found intriguing the idea of trying to understand what exactly are the mechanisms behind the ideological forming of this symbolic projection and their impact upon the decision of purchasing ecological agroalimentary products. The study was based on a nationwide questionnaire conducted in Romania in 2016. ...

Impactul socioeconomic al sistemelor de reabilitare robotizate pe pieţele emergente (Florin Serea

The paper analyses the manner in which organic agriculture has developed in the emerging countrie... more The paper analyses the manner in which organic agriculture has developed in the emerging countries of the European Union, in particular during the current economic crisis. Organic agriculture represents a continuously expanding sector in the European Union. In the period 2000-2012, the total utilized area for organic production increased by 6.7% per year on the average, reaching approximately 9.6 million hectares, accounting for 5.4% of the total utilized agricultural area in the EU. The emerging nations in the European Union

Ecoforum

The paper analyses the development of organic agriculture in the NorthEast Development Region of ... more The paper analyses the development of organic agriculture in the NorthEast Development Region of Romania, particularly during the current economic crisis. The organic agriculture sector represents a relatively new area of interest for farmers in Romania, as the first signs of organisation and utilisation of land and livestock according to organic farming rules and principles date back to 1997, when the first organic producers' association, known as "Asociaţia Bioterra", was established. In recent years, organic farming has grown exponentially in Romania, the NorthEast Development Region being the main region in the country in terms of the number of registered operators, areas of organic pasture and total agricultural areas. About 20% of all organic farming activity was conducted, in 2013, in the counties in the NorthEast Development Region. Ecological farmers in Suceava county are among the promoters of this crop system in Romania, their number (2,000) being very high in relation to the number of farmers in the region and even the country overall, standing at about 13% in 2013. For the purposes of analysing the evolution of the organic farming sector in the NorthEast Development Region of Romania, official statistical sources were consulted and the reports of the Agriculture directorates of the counties of Bacău, Botoșani, Iaşi, Neamţ, Suceava and Vaslui. The findings demonstrate that organic agriculture in NorthEast Development Region of Romania is in a stage of consolidation, with the vast majority of agricultural land and of livestock farmed according to the rules and principles of organic agriculture are certified.

The rural household epitomizes the central socioeconomic unit of the vernacular village. The terr... more The rural household epitomizes the central socioeconomic unit of the vernacular village. The territorial resources, livestock and human capital shape the particular features of each place and zone. The present study relies upon field research, namely a questionnaire undertaken in 354 rural households across the counties from the North-east Development Region. The main conclusions highlight visible zonal differences among them, all with clear distinctive features that draw the traditional element of each zone.

The development of agriculture in nowadays circumstances cannot be merely assessed from the persp... more The development of agriculture in nowadays circumstances cannot be merely assessed from the perspective of agriculture as a main branch of national economy, but further from a social point of view which is highly significant as it represents the traditional small farm households which provide the basic necessaries for the rural population as well as the usability implication of over 55% from the agricultural area of the country. On the whole, by agricultural exploitation there is the general tendency of considering its commercial aspect only, perfectly justifiable in the case of agricultural exploitations with a legal, juridical character, but there is also to be regarded the social aspect of agricultural exploitation without a juridical status, which is largely representative for the small farm households. In the period of time between the 2 General Censuses (2002 and 2010) the agricultural exploitations without a legal, juridical status diminshed by 13.6%, while the agricultural a...

In the rural areas where there is an economic potential clearly defined by the agricultural or co... more In the rural areas where there is an economic potential clearly defined by the agricultural or commercial activities, tourism is the business key within reach. Under the circumstances, the socio-economic reflex takes the form of developing projects for tourist services, especially in the places with tourist potential. Further, the local economy, at least with respect to the private initiative, advances towards agritourism. In the present study we aim to run a discursive analysis of the presentation messages offered by 54 accommodation units from the touristic basin of Sucevița. Making an inventory of the online messages (own sites and platforms for touristic services) we could identify 24 key concepts (keywords and key phrases) and starting from their occurrences within the identity narratives of the accommodation units we have analysed their relationship with the supra themes and the themes belonging to the local and regional brand. Further on, we have outlined the general profile ...

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Agricultural Systems

Sustainability

Impactul socioeconomic al sistemelor de reabilitare robotizate pe pieţele emergente (Florin Serea

Ecoforum

Patrimoniul funciar a constituit în totdeauna elementul central al apariției și dezvoltării seden... more Patrimoniul funciar a constituit în totdeauna elementul central al apariției și dezvoltării sedentare a comunităților și așezărilor rurale și la dezvoltarea agriculturii. Domeniile funciare au născut permanent raporturi sociale și juridice puternice între diferitele categorii de populații, stăpânitorii de pământuri și administrațiile locale sau domnești.
Rostul pământului în părțile noastre a fost studiat, în perspectivă istorică, pornind de la realitățile Daciei pre-romane și post-romane, la stările determinate de epoca medievală timpurie și la structurile de tip feudal, zdruncinate puternic de reformele agrare din anii 1864, 1921 și 1945, care au prefigurat și consolidat proprietatea funciară de tip capitalist.
Studiul reprezintă o sinteză prelucrată după multe lucrări elaborate de autori, din diverse perioade, pe tematica evoluției istorice a proprietății funciare până la instalarea regimului comunist în România, stare care a constituit în salt, peste timp, temeiurile Reformei agrare de după anul 1989.
Corolarul studiului îl reprezintă faptul că aplicarea unei reforme agrare, de regulă, s-a încheiat cu crearea premiselor pentru apariția și înfăptuirea unei noi reforme agrare, stare regăsită și în perioada postdecembristă.