Distribution of EU and National Funds Supporting Agriculture and Rural Development: Empirical Insights from Mazovia Region

This paper addresses the question of distribution of support from the EU budget and the national budget to agricultural holders in Mazovia region in comparison with Poland as a whole. In the first main section, the characteristics of the agricultural sector in the region, using main sectoral indicators, is presented. The second section illustrates the agricultural and rural support under the Rural Development Program and the Sectoral Operational Program “Restructuring and modernization of agriculture and rural development” provided to Mazovian beneficiaries with reference to this support at whole country level. Empirical analyses are based on Eurostat statistics as well as on data obtained from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Results of the study show that the Mazovian province, which is a region that can be placed in front of agricultural development, was awarded over the period 2004-2007 a relatively high level of support and ranked first or second among all 16 provinces according to selected measures.