THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN RURAL AREAS

Abstract

The article examines the European experience of agricultural policy aimed at increasing productivity and production in general, helping to maintain ecosystems and strengthen the industry's ability to adapt to climate change, extreme weather, drought, floods and other disasters while gradually improving land quality, resources and soils. It is substantiated that since the main means of agriculture is land resources, the main practices of sustainable development of the industry are related to the ability to improve soil quality. The main types of soil degradation, their consequences and costs in the EU countries are identified. It is established that the framework and specific measures for the protection and restoration of soils, as well as ensuring their rational use in the EU is determined by the new EU Soil Strategy for 2030, which replaced the Soil Thematic Strategy (STS) in 2006. The new Strategy is based on several goals of the Green Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and sets medium-term (2030) and long-term (2050) goals. The implementation of the Strategy envisages framework actions and implementation of specific policies in nine areas: organic content in soil and climate change; test-soil-for-free initiative; closed-loop economy and soil; organic farming, soil health and climate change; soil biodiversity for ecosystems and human health; prevention of soil contamination; reclamation of disturbed and contaminated lands; soil and digital agenda; soil monitoring. The main activators (drivers) of the Strategy are financing, management, promotion and participation in global actions, which are systematized by funding for sustainable management and restoration of soils at the EU level, institutions of management and restoration of soils in the EU, areas of promotion and participation in global actions on soils in the EU.