Importance and challenges for agriculture from High Nature Value Farmlands (HNVf) in Poland in the context of the provision of public goods under the European Green Deal

Abstract

The study aims to identify and characterise the organisational and economic features of agriculture in Poland in areas (communes) with different saturation of agriculture from High Nature Value farmlands (HNVf areas) with exceptionally high natural value. It is also important to determine whether the potential changes in agriculture in communes with a particularly large share of them do not harm the natural environment and limit the possibility of providing society with public goods. The delimitation of the three scenarios of HNVf areas was designated in the country at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2018. HNVf areas of moderate, high, and exceptionally high natural value were designated. To achieve the purpose of the study, data from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARMA) for 2016 and 2021 and data from the Polish Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) for 2018-2020 was obtained. It was established that in Poland, the share of HNVf areas currently ranges from 12.5 (exceptionally high natural value) to 27.1% (moderate-high nature value) of the total UAA. Compared to other areas, HNVf areas with exceptionally high natural value are characterised by agriculture with a high level of extensive production. Farms from these areas obtain, e.g. lower total costs incurred per 1 ha of UAA, often lower productivity of production factors and lower income per 1 ha of UAA.