Development of agricultural cooperatives in the transition period: comparison of examples from Croatia and Slovenia

U radu se razmatra razvoj poljoprivrednog zadrugarstva na temelju usporedbe poljoprivrednih zadruga Krapinsko-zagorske županije (Hrvatska) i Obsotlja i Kozjanskog (Slovenija) nakon 1990-ih godina. Na temelju istraživanja historijsko-geografskog razvoja, zakonodavstva Hrvatske i Slovenije u tranzicijskom razdoblju te intervjua s voditeljima zadruga i zadrugarima i anketnim istraživanjem mišljenja stanovništva dviju regija, pokazalo se da je poljoprivredno zadrugarstvo u Obsotlju i Kozjanskom na višem stupnju razvoja nego u Krapinsko-zagorskoj županiji. Poljoprivredno zadrugarstvo Obostlja i Kozjanskog pridonosi cjelokupnom razvoja tog ruralnog prostora, dok je utjecaj zadrugarstva u Krapinsko-zagorskoj županiji ograničen tek na uski dio lokalne zajednice u općinama u kojima se nalazi nekoliko aktivnih zadruga. Glavni čimbenici koji utječu na slabiju razvijenost zadružnog sektora Krapinsko-zagorske županije su slabija društveno-gospodarska razvijenost županije uz česte izmjene zadružne legislative. Potencijali za razvoj poljoprivrednog zadrugarstva mogu se aktivirati tek izgradnjom kapaciteta stanovništva kroz jačanje svijesti o važnosti i potrebi za zadružnim djelovanjem te načinom upravljanja zadrugama uz odgovarajuće stimulativne politike i zadružno zakonodavstvo.The thesis discusses the development of agricultural cooperatives based on a comparison of agricultural cooperatives in Krapina-Zagorje County (Croatia) and Obsotlje and Kozjansko (Slovenia) after the 1990s. Based on a study of historical-geographical development, the legislation of Croatia and Slovenia in the transition period, as well as interviews with the heads of cooperatives and cooperative members, and a survey of the opinions of the population of the two regions, agricultural cooperatives in Obsotlje and Kozjansko were found to be at a higher level of development than their counterparts in Krapina-Zagorje County. The agricultural cooperatives of Obostlje and Kozjansko contribute to the overall development of the rural area, while the influence of cooperatives in the Krapina-Zagorje County is limited to a narrow section of the local community in those municipalities with several active cooperatives. The main factors responsible for the underdeveloped state of the cooperative sector in Krapina-Zagorje County are the poor level of socio-economic development of the county, and frequent changes in cooperative legislation. Potentials for the development of agricultural cooperatives can only be activated by population capacity building, raising awareness of the importance and need for cooperative activities, learning about cooperative management, and appropriate incentive policies within relevant cooperative legislation