LAND-REFORM AND FARM RESTRUCTURING IN EAST-CENTRAL-EUROPE AND CIS IN THE 1990S - EXPECTATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS AFTER THE FIRST 5 YEARS

The countries of East Central Europe and the former Soviet Union have achieved considerable progress with land reform and farm restructuring since 1991. Yet the achievements fall short of original expectations, both in scope and in character. So far, agricultural transformation h as not produced a quick increase in production; most land remains in c ollective ownership; most peasants prefer to remain in the safety of l arge cooperatives, which still dominate agriculture. The accomplishmen ts of agrarian reform have been modest due to political and legal unce rtainty, lack of a supportive environment, high risk, and inadequate m echanisms for farm restructuring and individual exit. The future agric ulture in the region will be characterised by the coexistence of priva te farms, restructured cooperatives, commercial farms of various sizes , and part-time subsistence farms.