EN
The article presents the main trends in Polish agriculture after 1989 and analyses the historical, social and economic background of the transformation. An evaluation of the changes and accomplishment of the initial goals is conducted, with a focus on selected aspects, including, among others, technological modernisation, productivity growth, increased efficiency and competitiveness, changes in the structure of farms, and the improvement of living conditions in the Polish countryside. A comparison of the socio-economic situation of Polish agriculture at the beginning of the transformation with the state of Polish agriculture just prior to EU accession illustrates how farms have responded to the changes implemented. Poland having implemented the Common Agricultural Policy programs for 2007–2013, the country’s agriculture certainly accelerated its development after becoming an EU member. However, not all regions of the country have managed to benefit equally from EU support. Some remain underfunded and their potential has not been fully realised, which unfavorably affects the competitiveness of Polish agriculture as the world struggles with a food crisis.