Legal peculiarities of agricultural activity in the Baikal natural area and the prospects for organic products manufacturing

Abstract

Agriculture in the Central ecological zone (CEZ) of the Baikal natural area is not a leading economic sector, but at the same time plays an important role in the economic life of the local population.The Baikal natural area has a special legal regime of environmental management and environmental protection, and there are significant restrictions on the development of agriculture hindering the development of the Baikal macroregion. The use of plant protection products and mineral fertilizers is prohibited, and restrictions are imposed on the placement of agricultural objects. It is also necessary to observe environmental technologies of land cultivation. One of the ways out of this situation can be the development of organic agriculture in the Baikal natural area, which implies responsible agriculture helping to avoid negative processes leading to soil and ecosystem degradation (the tilling of minor soils, the use of moldboard plowing of hillside landscapes, deforestation, the lack of wood lines, inconsistent use and overuse of grazing areas, fires on agricultural lands, etc.).  At the same time, the transition from conventional agriculture to the organic one takes several years and is expensive. As a transitional period, the authors suggest manufacturing green brands on the territory of the Baikal natural area, which are subject to less strict requirements than the organic products.