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This paper aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on small family farms in Visegrad countries and to provide evidence of how they have responded and coped with the crisis. We conducted our investigation using an exploratory qualitative research design based on 86 semistructured in-depth interviews with owners or responsible managers, and explored the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on different areas of their businesses, such as human resources, supplier- -customer relations, production, distribution channels or strategies, price of inputs and outputs and business models. Our findings showed that small family farms have been resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several negative impacts were identified, such as a decrease in sales due to the closure of accommodation and restaurant services, delays in the supply of inputs, and minor problems with the availability of workers, but those were perceived to be moderate. However, the COVID-19 pandemic created not only difficult challenges but also opportunities for small farms. Based on our findings, three main recommendations regarding the adaptability and resilience of family farms in Visegrad countries have been formulated: i) the importance of a diversification strategy, ii) selling through short supply chains, and iii) digitalisation of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dynamics of trade globalization by analysing and comparing the economic growth effect of overall trade globalization with the growth effects of de facto and de jure trade globalization in the economic community of west African states (ECOWAS). Using fixed effects and random effects models, we separate the de facto measure of trade globalization from the de jure measure to prove that de facto trade globalization significantly and positively contributes to economic growth in ECOWAS, whereas de jure trade globalization does not. We also use pooled mean group estimates to prove that the growth effect of de facto trade globalization is significant only in the short run. By implication, relying only on the results of overall trade globalization can be misleading for policymakers, considering that the de facto and de jure measures of trade globalization yield different growth results. The findings of this study can aid policymakers within the region in identifying proper measures and tailoring trade policies to gain reasonable competitive advantage among other economic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the land tenure system in Ghana and its impact on the environment. The main forms of land tenure systems are explained and the positive and negative impacts of each of these forms on the environment analysed. Specific attention is devoted to deforestation and soil depletion. The complex problems of land acquisition in Ghana, and the inherent insecurity effects on farming, which is considered to be the most important economic activity in the rural areas are examined. The analyses and the result proved that the insecurity of land tenure system has a direct relationship with the environment. Cross-sectional data analyses establishes that traditional forms of land acquisitions, ownership and land use form part of the main causes of environmental degradation in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]