Financial innovations in Polish agriculture – barriers, challenges and perspectives of development

Abstract

Financial innovations may strongly improve the productivity, growth, competitiveness of the agricultural sector,  the quality of products, as well as the income situation of farms. The main objective of the paper is to identify the challenges and perspectives of development for financial innovations in agriculture.  The research methodology is based on an eclectic approach, including a literature review with elements of case studies. Although there are many classifications of financial innovations, there is a strong need to include some important peculiarities of farm households that are strongly linked with various entities in the agri-food sector. The detailed analyses should include both demand-side and supply-side factors.  The variability of the macroeconomic situation (vide: COVID-19 crisis) and its implications in fiscal/monetary policies), the dynamic processes in the financial system (i.e. the growing importance of the FinTech sector) can contribute to the challenges for the development of financial innovations in Poland. The limitations may refer to the quality of human and social capital on rural areas (e.g. lower level of financial literacy compared to in urban areas).