Motivations of Subsistence Farming in Hungary: Analysis of a Multi-Factored Phenomenon☆

Abstract

Our paper aims to explore the role of subsistence farming in Hungary by reviewing the literature, analyzing the primary data from a representative survey conducted in 2018 in Hungary and presenting two case-studies. According to European and national-level policy analysis, subsistence farming is a cornerstone of European agriculture, as it is a central element of a positive rural image. The paper is based on earlier theories on subsistence farming, and argues that it is worth analyzing the different factors influencing subsistence farming in order to better understand the motivations of participating in this kind of activity. The paper analyses the role of five different factors on subsistence farming: economic, societal, policy, discursive, and sustainability factors, and argues that, although all five factors are important in order to understand the phenomenon, economic and policy factors are the most important in this type of activity, while sustainability is almost imperceptible.