Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Cooperation Between Small Farms and Clusters—A Case Study of Poland

Abstract

Current climate risks, increasing urbanization, decreasing availability of arable land for food production, and the risk of flooding can be seen as potential risks to future global food security. The increase in the global population is yet another challenge facing humanity in the twenty-first century. Urgent steps should be taken to pursue a sustainable agricultural policy and achieve food security, including the cluster policy. Clusters are created to enhance efficiency, competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and enterprise development. A model of linkages between the academia, industry, government, and citizens should be implemented to achieve this goal. Cooperation between clusters and farmers is key to implementing innovative business solutions for smart specialization and sustainable development of regions, to provide modern support solutions for efficient management in agricultural production, implement environmentally friendly technologies, and foster innovation. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual framework for enhanced cooperation between farmers and clusters and to survey Polish farmers’ and experts’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers to such collaboration. The final result was a set of competences for cooperation between farmers and clusters, including the specification of agro-clusters. Farmers should have the opportunity to cooperate with agricultural enterprises to implement innovations, improve the efficiency of agricultural production, improve their skills through training, and foster the growth of farms through cluster activities. The present research is a case study of Poland which is one of the largest food producers in the European Union. The research assumptions were validated by analyzing the existing agricultural clusters in Europe and Poland based on a review of the literature, reports, interviews with experts in agriculture, and rural area development, as well as direct research involving small farms (with an area of less than 20 ha). The foundation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. An integral part of the SDGs is the implementation of state-of-the-art innovation, especially in the least developed areas. The discussed concept is fully consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed by European policies, in particular Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and infrastructure because cooperation between society/farmers and stakeholders/clusters is key to the implementation of innovation in rural areas and the creation of infrastructure that will support regional economic development with active social participation.