Land concentration and land grabbing: Implications for the socio-economic development of rural communities in south-eastern Romania

Abstract

In the periods of pre- and post-accession to the European Union, Romania experienced great and rapid land concentration and land grabbing. The current article is seeking to identify the relationship between these processes, and the socio-economic development of rural communities in two counties (Călăraşi and Ialomiţa) located in the south-east of Romania. By using a set of statistical indicators, the authors computed two secondary indexes: Agricultural Development Index and Social Disadvantage Index, whose correlation revealed that areas with massive land concentration (almost 80% of all Local Administrative Units) have a low level of socio-economic development.