Short Food Supply Chains in V4 Countries—A Comparative Analysis Based on a Systematic Literature Review

This study examines short food supply chains (SFSCs) in the V4 countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) through a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. It focuses on the participation of small farms, their forms of involvement, and the key drivers and barriers influencing engagement. The article fills the research gap in the assessment of the influence of agricultural structures of the V4 countries on the development and functioning of SFSCs. The results indicate that all countries show growing potential for SFSC development, although the share of participating farms remains relatively low in Poland and the Czech Republic compared to Hungary and Slovakia. Beyond agrarian structure, factors such as production specialisation, labour inputs and farmers’ marketing attitudes play an important role. Similarities are observed in distribution methods (mainly direct sales), dominant products (fruits and vegetables), motivations (higher prices) and barriers (time constraints). The review shows that while SFSC development across the V4 countries is driven by similar economic motivations and constrained by comparable organisational barriers, important differences stem from farm structures, production specialisation and institutional conditions, particularly between Hungary and the remaining V4 countries. These findings have implications for agricultural and rural policy.