This article discusses major issues that confront attempts to introduce participatory methodologies into livestock production research, based on experiences during two projects in East Africa, and interviews with researchers and others in the region. The extent to which research can be participatory is strongly influenced by the institutional contexts in which it is carried and used, and some of the institutions involved are briefly surveyed. The article then discusses conceptual issues; including the notion of degrees of participation, the underdevelopment of participatory research in livestock compared to crop science, and the reluctance of existing livestock science to deal with multiple-output systems. The relations between participatory research, whole-farm research and livelihoods research, and the role of economic analysis are also explored. Methodological issues at various points of the project cycle are discussed, including: the need to tailor methods to agreed objectives, the role of “PRA toolsâ€, the specific problems relating to participatory trials with livestock, and the role of on-station trials. Institutional issues such as funding procedures and timescales, and reward systems for researchers are generic to all participatory research, but they are perhaps felt more strongly in the livestock sector where they combine with livestock-specific issues.

In the EU funds planning period 2004 - 2006 in total 1141.44 million Euros have been allocated to Latvian national economy. The most part of financing was assigned to the development of infrastructure, development of entrepreneurship and innovation and human resources. Analysing division of the Structural Funds allocation between the regions, most part of the Structural Funds financing of 2004 - 2006 - 49.52% from all the financing has been allocated to the Riga region. That points to unequal division because Riga region has three times bigger Gross Domestic Product then Latgale region. Direct link to the social economic indexes indicating the development of the region and attracted EU funds financing can be surveyed - most developed regions have received most important part of the financing and underdeveloped regions the smallest part. EU funds regional support has to be planned and there should be regional development policy in EU funds distribution. Possible means to endorse the development of the undeveloped regions of the country by support programmes include creating specific support programmes, giving larger aid intensity for projects from regions, consultation work in project development and implementation and other ways.

Implementation of special support measures and resolving its main problems with effective methods in medium-run may allow to maintain the dairy sector as a significant traditional element of the Latvian economy. It is important to know the gross economic effect of the Latvian dairy sector in order to take informed and rational support decisions. Authors have developed and approbated methods and by applying these have obtained new, unpublished data that characterize economic effect of the sector. The data have been analysed in Latvian and the Baltic States context. It is concluded that the dairy sector is significant to the Latvian economy mainly due to gross value added and especially because of its role in providing work opportunity. Authors call attention to reserves in gross value added growth per full time equivalent unit in the secondary production in all Baltic States. The data of the primary dairy sector level in turn indicate lower potential of growth that is evidenced by even a slight decrease in indicators of the comparatively more effective Estonian producer structure. Therefore, it can be expected that the weight of dairy sector secondary level in the dairy sector gross value added will increase. Authors point out certain possible solutions of the Latvian dairy sector's problems such as promotion of joint ownership structure. Main analysed indicators are gross value added at factor cost, use of labour in full time equivalent units and labour use effectiveness.

Over the last few years, the increase of society stratification and inequality of income that has favoured significant shifts in household dietary patterns and a growing demand for products of animal origin, particularly meat and milk can be observed. On the consumption side, meat plays an important role in improving the nutritional status of low-income households by addressing micro and macro nutrient deficiencies. In this context, this paper investigates beef consumption trends and aims to corroborate theoretical expectations with empirical findings. The aim of the research was to characterize main tendencies of beef consumption and to find out factors affecting beef consumption in Latvia. In order to achieve the set aim, the following research objectives were defined: 1) to characterize household expenditure for purchasing beef; 2) to describe overall beef consumption in Latvia; 3) to investigate beef consumption in households with different income level. The study was based on annual statistical data, statistical bulletins covering results of the Household Budget Survey from 2002 to 2007, scientific publications and special literature. To carry out the research, adequate research methods were used. The results of this study showed that beef consumption in the country has been more or less stable, although in relatively small amounts. The main factor that influences beef consumption and expenditure on beef is income level. The results also suggested that higher beef consumption is characteristic of urban households, which have higher income level than rural ones. Therefore, within increase of income level of Latvia's inhabitants, beef consumption and demand for beef could significantly increase.

The objective of the research paper is to explore the competitiveness of Latvian dairy sector from the aspect of productivity and export indicators, as well as to examine some of the possibilities to improve the sector competitiveness. The authors explore the productivity and export indicators of Latvian dairy sector, and the link between productivity and export (within the EU context), as well as analyse the impact of farm investment support within RDP 2007 – 2013. Value added per labour unit has been chosen as the productivity indicator; suitable qualitative and quantitative research methods have been applied to the studies. Based on the introduced indices of relative position of dairy industry productivity and exports, dairy processing in Latvia has strong inter-branch position in the domestic food industry. However, the inter-country comparison shows that Latvian dairy processing is behind the EU average level, when its productivity and export volume are considered. It has been found that productivity and export of dairy processing are positively related; rather strong positive correlation also exists between productivity in dairy farming and dairy processing. Therefore, the development of Latvian dairy sector, which mainly depends on the development of exports, can be more successfully achieved by the increase in its productivity; and relatively the largest productivity gap to close is in the dairy farming in Latvia. The direct investment support effect on NVA/AWU of dairy farms is found to be significant and positive, indicating that farm modernisation support of RDP 2007 – 2013 has facilitated the improvement of overall dairy farm productivity in Latvia.

The Baltic Sea problems in context of erosion always have been very topical and since ancient times have been caused by uncontrollable and unpredictable natural factors (storms). These factors combine with the impact of human economic activities of the direct effect of factors -building offshore and aquatorium, deficit of sediment and marine dredging and growth of recreational tourism growth that promote load of coastal vegetation and dune relief. The identification of costs and benefits is significant step for evaluation of the impact of the Project and usefulness of the costs. The positive impact or benefits can occur at once, after a while or long term perspective. The economic evaluation techniques particularly cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis for coastal protection in this case used for ascertain the most effective alternative. The sensitivity analysis was made for verifying impact of alternatives on taken solution. The aim of research is to verify the economic methods for application to coastal management in Latvia. The world’s coastal scientists believe that the future of coastal policy will become increasingly polarized and discussed; therefore, gradual implementation of the assessment process and development of socio-economic indicators is recommended.

Farm financial distress can be determined by many factors. Farm failure can be the result of macroeconomic environment, unsuccessful farmer’s management decisions, and even natural forces. Different financial distress determinants may have different influence on a farm financial position. This study presents average financial ratios (leverage, return on assets, and return on equity) and single ratio of rental equivalent to gross margin according to farm size, land quality, economic size, farmer’s age and type of farming in Lithuania. The new approach to financial distress diagnosis requires classifying farms into financial positions. Considering average financial ratios and single ratio of rental equivalent to gross margin, farms were classified according to financial positions in order to estimate these methods’ suitability for financial distress diagnoses. Using study results, farmers can identify their position according to the average ratios. This study could be a guide for farmers making the financial management decisions.

Recreation services are the forests’ non-market goods which constitute a substantial part of the total economic value and are important for the choice of multi-functional forest policies. However recreational services do not always have a market price and comparatively less literature applies value orientations to examine issues concerned with recreational use of natural resources. This research reports on the findings of the comprehensive, national-level study about the contribution of forest recreational services to Latvia’s national economy in 2009 and about the respondents’ declared choices, travel costs and willingness to contribute some money for improvement of amenities in a forest. Two general information sources were used to obtain the information - available statistical data and the contingent valuation survey to estimate the respondents’ choices and habits for recreation activities in the forests. Results show that forest recreation is very popular and highly valued in Latvia. The statistical analysis confirms that the significant differences exist between varied respondents’ socioeconomic groups in their objectives, choices and preferences to use the forest recreational services.

The productivity and its performance is one of the core topics of economics studies. The growth of productivity is an indicator of competitiveness, as well as a possible way to achieve economic growth and wellbeing. After joining the EU, the agriculture of the Baltic countries faced increasing competition of the EU Single Market, while having relatively lower productivity indicators. Since 2004, significant structural changes have taken place in the agriculture of the Baltic countries, and it is a topical question whether these changes and overall trends in the agricultural sectors of the Baltic countries have facilitated to increase productivity. Therefore, the objective of the study is to evaluate the productivity growth of the main production factors and the total factor productivity growth in the agriculture of the Baltic countries between 2004 and 2015, in relation to the changes in the use of the production factors. The paper focuses on the value added as output, and land, labour and capital as individual inputs to obtain partial productivity measures. The evaluation of TFP is based on the Index number approach, where TFP growth is a ratio of the Output index to the Input index. The calculations and analyses show that since 2004 both the agricultural output and value added have increased in the agriculture of the Baltic countries, and also productivity performance has improved.

The processes of globalization in the world economy have a significant impact on different processes and development in all national economy sectors. Innovations and technological development have also increased the competition between economic operators. Faster growth is also observed in service industries. The global economic downturn affected the Baltic States whose development suffered a sharp decline at the end of 2008 and in 2009. A sudden drop in the demand in export markets, as well as the decline in the demand in the domestic markets due to low purchasing power contributed to the deterioration of the economic situation in the Baltic States, particularly in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Starting from 2011, the economic indicators in the Baltic States have been growing and here the export of goods and services can be mentioned as the main contributor to the development of the economy in the Baltic States. Significant changes in the development of economic sectors started in 2013 due to Russia’s economic problems. During the period 2005 – 2015, most of the value added to the overall structure of the national economy in all three Baltic States was brought by trade and manufacturing. The aim of the research is to analyse the national economy sectors in the Baltic States during the period 2005 – 2015 in order to determine processes that affected the development of economy sectors in each of the countries, or the opposite – the recession, thus finding the most competitive sector of the national economy of the Baltic States.