COMPETITIVENESS EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FARMS

The competitiveness of farms of different sizes is a complex issue, depending in particular on both the type of farm and its capacity to expand. The drive for competitiveness is further boosted by the prevailing environmental change, where rising environmental levels are reorienting farms towards sustainability. In the long term, this will benefit the segment, as sustainable farms will have more opportunities both to sell their products and to create additional value from the agricultural waste they generate. This paper presents solutions to assess the level of competitiveness and potential of farms. The assessment models are versatile, thus allowing their use in different countries or regions. The paper presents relevant indicators for assessing the competitiveness of farms from economic, social and environmental perspectives, in line with the principles of sustainable development. Particular attention is paid to dairy farms, as they present the greatest existential and sustainability challenges.