Less-favoured Areas Research Articles

Targeting the impact of agri-environmental policy – Future scenarios in two less favoured areas in Portugal

Targeting agri-environmental measures (AEM) improves their effectiveness in the delivery of public goods, provided the necessary coordination with other incentives. In less favoured areas (LFA) measures focusing on the conservation of extensive farming contribute to sustainable land management in these areas. In this paper we investigate the implementation of a possible AEM supporting the improvement of permanent pastures coordinated with the extensive livestock and single farm payments actually in place. Through applying a spatially-explicit mixed integer optimisation model we simulate future land use scenarios for two less favoured areas in Portugal (Centro and Alentejo) considering two policy scenarios: a ‘targeted AEM’, and a ‘non-targeted AEM’. We then compare the results with a ‘basic policy’ option (reflecting a situation without AEM). This is done with regard to landscape-scale effects on the reduction of fire hazard and erosion risk, as well as effects on farm income. The results show that an AEM for permanent pastures would be more cost-effective for erosion and fire hazard mitigation if implemented within a spatially targeted framework. However when cost-effectiveness is assessed with other indicators (e.g. net farm income and share of grazing livestock) ‘non-targeted AEM’ implementation delivers the best outcome in Alentejo. In Centro the implementation of an AEM involves important losses of income compared to the ‘basic policy’. ‘Targeted AEM’ tends to favour farms in very marginal conditions, i.e. targeting is demonstrated to perform best in landscapes where spatial heterogeneity is higher. The results also show the risk of farm abandonment in the two studied less favoured areas: in all three scenarios more than 30% of arable land is deemed to be abandoned.

Comparison of Operational Subsidies on Less Favoured Areas in EU Countries

This article is aimed at an analysis of operational subsidies on the Less Favoured Areas (LFA) in the European Union countries. With the help of cluster analysis, the EU countries were divided into groups and, using correlation and regression analyses, the relations between defined indicators were evaluate. The indicators of FADN EU related to the cultivated land area were completed with relative indicators. Some differences were proved in subsidy effectiveness between particular groups of the countries. The amount of operational subsidies only has a positive impact on subsidised costs in the mountain LFAs. Worse productive and climate conditions increase the dependence of the output on subsidies related to cost effectiveness. No dependence of the output share of subsidies and the subsidised costs was proven in all groups.

Calculation of climate factors as an additional criteria to determine agriculturally less favoured areas

Climate factors that are proposed to determine agriculturally less favoured areas (LFA) in Slovenia were analyzed for the period 1981–2010. Following the instructions of European Commission prepared by Joint Research Centre (JRC) 30-years averages of low air temperatures criteria (the vegetation period duration and sums of effective air temperatures) and aridity criteria (aridity index AI) have to be calculated. Calculations were additionally done using Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) method, which is slightly different when determining temperature thresholds. Only hilly areas are below the LFA low air temperatures threshold with the lowest located meteorological station in Rateče. According to aridity criteria no area in Slovenia is below the threshold, so meteorological water balance was also examined. Average water balance in the period 1981–2010 was in most of locations lower than in the period 1971–2000. Climate change impacts are already expressed as trend presence in time series of studied variables, so it is recommended to calculate trends and take them into account or to perform regular iterations of calculations.

Determinants of agricultural land price in Poland – a case study covering a part of the Euroregion Baltic

The main aim of this study was to identify the factors that drive the prices of agricultural property after Poland's accession to EU in regions where agriculture is the predominant mode of production. A statistical model of real estate prices was developed based on the conducted transactions. The key determinants of agricultural property prices were: location of land relative to rural settlements, soil quality, land fragmentation, forest cover in the municipality and location of farms in less-favored areas with natural handicaps for agricultural production. The last attribute results from Poland's membership in the European Union and participation in the Common Agricultural Policy. The support scheme increased the prices of agricultural property. Our results are largely consistent with the findings of international studies. They provide valuable inputs for prospective buyers of agricultural property and investors.

The role of EU agri-environmental measures preserving extensive grazing in two less-favoured areas in Portugal

Since 1992 agri-environmental issues have gained attention by reforms of the CAP. For instance by supporting environmentally friendly land use, such as permanent pastures in less-favoured areas (LFA) that are only marginally suitable for alternative farming practices. In the last two decades a significant part of agricultural land in Portugal has been converted to permanent pastures. The question is what role the EU agri-environmental measures (AEM) have played in that development.This paper assesses to which extent AEM have been effective in preserving and promoting permanent pastures and extensive animal production. We investigated two AEM in two research areas: Traditional Mixed Farming (TMF) in Centro and Extensive Grassland (EG) in Alentejo for the implementation period 2005–2009. Spatial information was analysed to link plot and farm characteristics with performance (result and impact) indicators such as stocking rate and soil cover (assessed through the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI)). These indicators have been recognized as valuable indicators of AEM effects, and are therefore used in this research. A comparison was made between farms with certain AEMs and farms without these AEMs, that would be eligible for these specific AEMs. The results indicate that the participation in TMF and EG in preserving permanent pastures has been rather low in both regions. Nevertheless, these measures contributed to the upkeep of extensive livestock production with about 65% of participant farms achieving the expected policy result (maintenance or intensification of livestock keeping), although the effect was only significant in Centro. TMF and EG measures were effective in preserving the number of grazing livestock (goats and sheep, in Centro and Alentejo, respectively). These effects on livestock appeared to be associated with increased vegetation cover on participant farms in Centro, and with a tendency towards maintaining the pre-existing vegetation cover in Alentejo. Our results suggest that although AEM were effective in preserving grazing livestock, changes in grazing practices have not led to a significant improvement of the conditions to reduce the risk of wildfire and soil erosion. This should be taken into account in the design of new AEMs.

Reallocation of Agriculture Production Factors from Large-area Community-based Group Farming in Japan's Less-favoured Areas

Reallocation of Agriculture Production Factors from Large-area Community-based Group Farming in Japan's Less-favoured Areas

Subsidies Versus Economics, Finances and Income of Farms (2)

The paper aimed at ex-post analysis of impact of subsides on the economic situation of farms, with special emphasis on the impact of environmental payments and compensatory payments (the so-called LFA payments). Chapters: Changes to the economic and production situation of farms implementing the agri-environmental scheme in Poland. Economic condition of beneficiaries of compensatory aid in less-favoured areas (the so-called LFA). Impact of changes to direct payment system in 2014-2017 on support for selected types of farms. Value management and assessment of the financial situation of family farms in Poland – selected aspects. Subsidies versus finances and economics of farms owned by natural persons.

Uptake of agri-environmental schemes in the Less-Favoured Areas of Greece: The role of corruption and farmers’ responses to the financial crisis

Vine-growing in the Less-Favoured Areas of Greece is facing multiple challenges that might lead to its abandonment. In an attempt to maintain rural populations, Rural Development Schemes have been created that offer the opportunity to rural households to maintain or expand their farming businesses including vine-growing. This paper stems from a study that used data from a cross-sectional survey of 204 farmers to investigate how farming systems and farmers’ perception of corruption, amongst other socio-economic factors, affected their decisions to continue vine-growing through participation in Rural Development Schemes, in three remote Less-Favoured Areas of Greece. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to frame the research problem with the assumption being that an individual’s intention to participate in a Scheme is based on their prior beliefs about it. Data from the survey were reduced and simplified by the use of non-linear principal component analysis. The ensuing variables were used in selectivity corrected ordered probit models to reveal farmers’ attitudes towards viticulture and rural development. It was found that economic factors, perceived corruption and farmers’ attitudes were significant determinants on whether to participate in the Schemes. The research findings highlight the important role of perceived corruption and the need for policies that facilitate farmers’ access to decision making centres.

Assessing the determinants of poverty and vulnerability of smallholder farmers in a changing climate: the case of Morogoro region, Tanzania

This paper analyses the determinants of poverty and vulnerability of smallholder farmers in the rural areas in the face of climate change. The data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted between December 2009 and January 2010 covering 240 households in six villages of Morogoro region, Tanzania. Descriptive and the econometric approaches involving three-stage least squares (3SLS) and generalized methods of moments (GMM) regressions were used to analyse poverty and vulnerability. Results indicate that income poverty was prevalent in the study area—based on a daily income per capita poverty line of US$ 1.25. The income poverty was relatively higher in agro-climatically less-favourable area than in favoured areas. Over three quarters of the sample households were vulnerable. The pattern of future vulnerability tended to overlap with poverty rates. Ageing of the household head tended to increase the level of vulnerability. Large-sized households were more income-poor than their counterpart small-sized households. Farming experience reduced the probability of future vulnerability. Increased farm size enhanced the level of income, and further increase in farm size reduced future vulnerability. Higher income contributed to wealth formation through improved access to assets and housing amenities. Farmers who perceived that climate change is human-induced tended to have significantly higher income than otherwise. The following conclusions with policy implications are drawn from the findings: (1) addressing poverty and vulnerability of farmers is critical particularly in relatively agro-ecologically less-favoured areas that are prone to climate change impacts, (2) old-age-related vulnerability must be addressed through dedicated policies and programmes, (3) increasing farm size would enhance smallholder farm income, (4) awareness creation among farmers on climate change drivers and processes by highlighting anthropogenic contribution is important in order to influence local adaptation and mitigation practices, and (5) improving rural income will advance wealth creation and foster local livelihood resilience to shocks including climate change.

Transition Pathways to Sustainable Pastoral Systems in Europe

Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGSs) in Europe are extensive systems of grassland management, which have developed from the interaction of historical background, human behaviour and natural resources, and are mainly located in the Less Favoured Areas (LFAs). LSGSs currently face competing threats towards intensification and/or abandonment but, at the same time, they harbour a significant part of European nature values. Socio-economic driving forces of land abandonment and intensification are poorly addressed. The current system assumes that these LSGSs are inherently uneconomic and only payments for the potential delivery of environmental services and side line activities are the source of continuity and justification of support. Our conceptual approach, however, is based on the assumptions that endogenous development and targeted policy schemes cannot be disregarded. A framework profile is provided for the identification and description of European LSGSs where regeneration plans can be more cost-effective. Under this conceptual approach, operational tools such as pastoral strategies for survival and system-specific management alternatives can be devised for interplay of environmental and socio-economic functions, facilitating interdisciplinary research within and across systems. From the empirical perspective, we show how the trend of abandonment of LSGS in the last 60 years is spread over different regions of Europe, how management alternatives are designed for six separate LSGS, and how beneficial management alternatives, environmental functions and side line activities cited by experts on an additional sample of 46 European LSGS are grouped by type of action. We conclude that the continuity of LSGSs in the European Union (EU) may require a new and sustainable intensification path with new farming models and farming categories as far removed from the conventional intensification path as from the low-input, nature reserve and generalised policy support paradigms. Beneficial management with key actions can be a sensible rationale for specific and dynamic support to LSGS in the next CAP reform post-2013, time of stressing budgetary conditions.

Trends in family labour, hired labour and contract work on French field crop farms: The role of the Common Agricultural Policy

This paper investigates French field crop farms’ use of various types of labour during the period 1990–2007. We explore the determinants of the three types of labour used on farm (family labour, hired labour and contract labour), with a particular emphasis on the impact of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms and subsidies on the three labour types. We estimate a system of three equations, including a censored model, using the French Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) database.We find that hired labour and contract labour are substitutes as expected, but that hired labour and family labour are complements. This may reveal complementarities between management tasks (which are specifically for the farm head and family labour) and technical operations (the only operations performed by hired labour). In addition, we find that, in general, crop area payments and Single Farm Payments (SFP) have reduced farm labour, while agri-environmental payments, Less Favoured Area (LFA) payments and investment subsidies have increased it. Our results agree with most of the literature that coupled and decoupled area payments reduce labour use on farms.

Evaluating the impact of rural development measures on nature value indicators at different spatial levels: Application to France and The Netherlands

This paper proposes an approach for assessing the effectiveness of those agri-environmental schemes and rural development measures aimed at enhancing the natural value of farmland and, more generally, aimed at releasing the pressure on the environment due to agriculture. First, based on fine scale data, indicators derived from the High Nature Value farmland concept are tested at different scales, resolutions and situations: LAU2 for The Netherlands and LAU1 for France. The effect of rural development measures on the evolution of these indicators is then explored. Significant cause-effect relationships are found in the French cases, while only relationships of correlations are observed from the Dutch case study, obviously caused by a lack of data. Using fine scale data on rural development measures related to both 2000–2006 and 2007–2013 programming periods of the Common Agricultural Policy, a spatial econometrics methodology is applied to France, at national level on the one hand, and at a selected NUTS2 level on the other. The results indicate that agri-environmental schemes and specific rural development measures affect the changes in the indicators, and that the spatial scale of the analyses matters. In particular, results indicate that trends observed at the national scale do not necessarily apply at the regional scale (e.g. impacts of conversion to organic farming, the grassland premium, payments for water and biodiversity protection) underlining the importance of multi-scale assessments. Interestingly, delayed effects of the measures implemented in the 2000–2006 programming period, such as machinery investment aids and less-favoured area payments, are detectable. As regards the 2007–2013 rural development measures, the most significant positive effects on the farm nature value indicator are found, at the national level, for locally targeted agri-environmental schemes focused on biodiversity and water issues and, at the NUTS2 level, for supporting organic farming schemes. Given that the farm nature value indicator is built from three different indices (addressing crop diversity, grassland share, and wooded and afforested farmland) the effect of rural development measures on each of these individual indices is also explored. This enables the main structure and the magnitude of policy impacts to be captured and helps with the understanding of why certain objectives were not met. Key findings are relevant in the context of policy monitoring and evaluation, while the methodology proposed, that incorporates spatial effects, is an important contribution to the implementation of the Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework by Member States to account for national, regional or local characteristics.

Dynamics of Goat Meat Production in Extensive Systems in Asia: Improvement of Productivity and Transformation of Livelihoods

The principal objective in the improvement of agriculture for food production is to ensure efficient use of the natural resources (land, crops, animals and water) that match population and income growth and dietary changes. Population growth is currently placing great pressure on food supplies from overused existing arable land areas, forcing the need to look beyond to improving less favored areas (LFAs) like rain fed regions in a sustainable way. Among domestic animals in developing countries, goats are very valuable for multifunctional reasons. Increasing productivity from them is justified in the context of the diversity of goat genetic resources, dynamics of extensive and migratory systems, multifunctionality, and productivity improvements through research and development (R and D). Imperatives for successful pro-poor projects are realistic project design, prioritization of R and D, and predictable impacts to transform agricultural growth. Goat meat is sought after for its high lean meat content and inadequate supply has pushed high prices in most countries. The unique biological and socio-economic attributes of goats in farming systems are described, including contributions to nutrition and food security, stability of farm households and survival of the poor. Discussion focuses on characteristics of extensive systems, distribution across agro-ecological zones (AEZs), feeding behavior and digestive efficiency, types of markets (assembling, distribution, ,weekly and rural), marketing systems, market players, transportation of live animals for slaughter, value chains, socio-economic implications and major constraints. Rural markets are an Asian concept and serve numerous functions. Current R and D is discipline – oriented, but need to shift to more assertive community-based pathways involving small farmers, the landless, researchers and extension personnel. The presence of large concentrations of goats and sheep in less favored areas (LFAs) provides an entry point for transforming agriculture and the utilization of welladapted indigenous breeds in crop-animal systems. Empowering the knowledge base is a priority, to enrich small and commercial farmers alike. An overriding challenge is to define a policy framework that promotes greater institutional involvement, systems approaches to improved understanding of rain fed agriculture, capacity to cope with climate change and stratification of production options. The latter includes breeding increased goat numbers, intensive utilization of available forage biomass and crop residues in situ, development of intensive zero grazing systems, and integrated resource utilisation. The sustainability of the natural environment is important, as it influences the entire basis for food production. Priority setting is essential to demonstrate technology application to transform agriculture. Increased investments increases agricultural productivity, but agricultural development and goat production is hampered by the lack of investments and climate change, and it is doubtful if yield increase can be achieved. Major challenges exist for improved land use, management of production and consumption, environmental degradation and water scarcity. Despite this gloom, for, enduring hope of several millions of the poor and the landless, the enduring hope remains - sustained food supplies from animal-agriculture through efficiencyenhancing technologies, access to food for all, in which self-reliance and vision needs to lead the way.

Wielofunkcyjność rolnictwa jako czynnik rozwoju zrównoważonego obszarów wiejskich w Polsce

Multifunctional agriculture perfectly corresponds to the concept of the sustainable development of rural areas. It brings environmental benefits: moderate and economical use of resources, respect for natural environment, preservation of agricultural landscape, conservation of animal species and plant varieties valuable in natural terms. Economic advantages related to multifunctional agriculture include additional income for farmers. There are also some social benefits such as: reinforcement of mutual links and acceptance by local communities concerning the development line of their areas. The main idea of multifunctionality is that while there are many agricultural functions expressed in terms of goods, services and markets, agriculture also produces non-market goods, e.g. in helping to preserve the landscape or biodiversity. The existence of both these types of goods is not antagonistic. The connection between the beneficial external effects of farming and its production of market goods is known as jointness. The scenario of support for multifunctional farming in Poland was outlined in the Rural Development Plan 2004–2006, and is continued under the Rural Development Programme 2007–2013. The instruments employed to implement the goals of multifunctional farming and sustainable development of rural areas were the EU measures: Support for agricultural activity in less-favoured areas (LFAs), the agri-environmental programme, and payments for energy crops. On the basis of research incorporating spatial autocorrelation statistics, the RDP 2007–2013 measures supporting multifunctional agriculture in its productive and natural (green) functions were found to have an advantageous effect on the sustainable development of rural areas in the following Voivodeships: Zachodniopomorskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Podlaskie as well as northern parts of Mazowieckie and Warminsko-Mazurskie. Their effect was less significant in southern Poland, as well as in Kujawsko-Pomorskie in the case of organic farming and in Podlaskie and Warminsko-Mazurskie in the case of energy crops. In the remaining regions support for multifunctional farming had no significant influence on the sustainable development of their rural areas.

Goats: Imperatives for Developing the Champions of the Poor and the Landless

Animal-agriculture production is pivotal for food security, economic growth and rural prosperity. In Asian agriculture, the goat is revered as the first animal to be domesticated, and has an important economic and ecological niche. It is very widely distributed, but the preferred environment is the semi-arid to arid agro-ecological zones (AEZs) [1] such as West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region [2], within-country in Rajasthan in India, Baluchistan in Pakistan, Harare in Zimbabwe, Chihuahua and San Louis Portosi in Mexico The value of goats increases in relation to its contributions, capacity to adapt to different rainfed less-favored areas (LFAs), cope with the effects of climate change, and respond to market opportunities and human dietary changes [3].

Vlivy nadmořskÉ výšky lokality na některé chemické, zdravotní, mikrobiologické, fyzikální a technologické ukazatele kravského mléka a senzorické vlastnosti sýrů

Obecně je nadmořskĂĄ výťka chovu dojnic inherentnĂ­m a kumulativnĂ­m faktorem, kterĂ˝ mĹŻĹže ovlivnit vĂ˝znamně faremnĂ­ podmĂ­nky a tĂ­m produkci i kvalitu mlĂŠka. Je tvořen prĹŻměrnou ročnĂ­ teplotou, Ăşhrnem ročnĂ­ch srĂĄĹžek, dĂŠlkou doby slunečnĂ­ho svitu a dalĹĄĂ­mi poloĹžkami ve smyslu klimatu a počasĂ­. Celkově mĹŻĹže mĂ­t přímĂ˝ vliv na tepelnĂŠ stresy dojnic a rezistenci např. vůči mastitidĂĄm a nepřímĂ˝ na mléčnou uĹžitkovost prostřednictvĂ­m pĹŻdnĂ­ch podmĂ­nek a skladby krmnĂ˝ch pĂ­cnin. Jako faktor ji lze ovĹĄem jen omezeně ovlivňovat, vystupuje vĹĄak vĹždy do popředĂ­ zĂĄjmu v rĂĄmci diskusĂ­ o struktuře stĂĄtnĂ­ch podpor do chovu dojnic a jejich přerozdělenĂ­. ZĂĄroveň je zahrnuta nepřímo v diskusi o udrĹžitelnĂŠm, ĹĄetrnĂŠm zemědělstvĂ­ v tzv. LFA (mĂŠně příznivĂ˝ch oblastech). Jako příspěvek k tĂŠto diskusi bylo srovnĂĄno sloĹženĂ­ a kvalita mlĂŠka ze sedmi modelovĂ˝ch chovĹŻ v nĂ­ĹžinnĂ˝ch (N, ≤ 350 m n. m.) a podhorskĂ˝ch (P > 350 m n. m.) oblastech ČR. Z hlediska plemennĂŠho vlivu byl soubor vyrovnanĂ˝, tzn. v kaĹždĂŠ oblasti polovina zvířat nĂĄleĹžela k plemeni HolĹĄtĂ˝n a polovina k plemeni ČeskĂŠ strakatĂŠ. VýŞiva zvířat modelovĂ˝ch chovĹŻ odpovĂ­dala oblastem a typickĂŠmu profilu výŞivy dojnic v ČR. Byla sledovĂĄna celĂĄ řada sloĹžkovĂ˝ch a technologickĂ˝ch (24) ukazatelĹŻ v individuĂĄlnĂ­m mlĂŠce, hygienickĂ˝ch v bazĂŠnovĂŠm mlĂŠce, směsnĂŠ krmnĂŠ dĂĄvce, vĂ˝kalech dojnic a senzorickĂŠ vlastnosti sĂ˝rĹŻ ĹĄvĂ˝carskĂŠho typu z modelovĂ˝ch vĂ˝rob. Celkem bylo odebrĂĄno za tři roky, vĹždy v letnĂ­ a zimnĂ­ krmnĂŠ sezoně, 240 (N) a 444 (P) individuĂĄlnĂ­ch vzorkĹŻ mlĂŠka, 31 a 39 bazĂŠnovĂ˝ch vzorkĹŻ mlĂŠka, prĹŻměrnĂ˝ch vzorkĹŻ vĂ˝kalĹŻ a vzorkĹŻ směsnĂ˝ch krmnĂ˝ch dĂĄvek z krmnĂŠho Ĺžlabu a bylo provedeno 30 modelovĂ˝ch vĂ˝rob tvrdĂ˝ch, přírodně zranĂ˝ch sĂ˝rĹŻ. Ve smyslu klimatu se chovy dojnic N a P statisticky vĂ˝znamně (P < 0,01) liĹĄily v prĹŻměrnĂŠm ročnĂ­m Ăşhrnu srĂĄĹžek (572 a 776 mm) a v prĹŻměrnĂŠ ročnĂ­ teplotě (P < 0,001; 9,7 a 7,1 °C), zatĂ­mco se vĂ˝znamně neliĹĄily v prĹŻměrnĂŠ ročnĂ­ době slunečnĂ­ho svitu (1851 a 1650 hod.; P > 0,05). VĂ˝znamnějĹĄĂ­ rozdĂ­ly byly pozorovĂĄny u technologickĂ˝ch ukazatelĹŻ mlĂŠka jako alkoholovĂŠ stability, času sýřenĂ­ a pevnosti sýřeniny s vĂ˝hodou pro N oblast pro posledně dva jmenovanĂŠ a pro P oblast pro alkoholovou stabilitu mléčnĂ˝ch bĂ­lkovin. VĂ˝znamnějĹĄĂ­ rozdĂ­ly byly takĂŠ u nebĂ­lkovinnĂ˝ch dusĂ­katĂ˝ch lĂĄtek, avĹĄak bez praktickĂŠho vĂ˝znamu. VětĹĄinou vĹĄak byly rozdĂ­ly v dojivosti a ve sloĹženĂ­ a vlastnostech mlĂŠka jako obsazĂ­ch tuku, laktĂłzy, tukuprostĂŠ suĹĄiny, frakcĂ­ bĂ­lkovin (hrubĂ˝ch a čistĂ˝ch bĂ­lkovin, kaseinu a syrovĂĄtkovĂ˝ch bĂ­lkovin), močoviny, acetonu, elektrickĂŠ konduktivitě, titračnĂ­ kyselosti atd. mezi N a P nevĂ˝znamnĂŠ (P > 0,05). VĂ˝skyty termorezistentnĂ­ch mikroorganismĹŻ a bacilĹŻ by mohly bĂ˝t vztaĹženy mezi kvalitou krmiv, kontaminacĂ­ vĂ˝kalĹŻ a nĂĄsledně mlĂŠka, přičemĹž kvalita krmiv (jejich konzervace) mĹŻĹže zĂĄviset např. na srĂĄĹžkĂĄch. VĂ˝znamnĂŠ rozdĂ­ly uvnitř sledovanĂ˝ch hygienickĂ˝ch ukazatelĹŻ a materiĂĄlĹŻ (krmivo, vĂ˝kaly, mlĂŠko) mezi N a P oblastmi vĹĄak nebyly pozorovĂĄny, tedy nebyly potvrzeny předchozĂ­ hypotĂŠzy. SenzorickĂĄ kvalita sĂ˝rĹŻ byla nevĂ˝znamně vyĹĄĹĄĂ­ v oblasti P při mnohem větĹĄĂ­ variabilitě, kdy nejlepĹĄĂ­ byla na jednĂŠ z P farem charakterizovanĂŠ vysokou kvalitou sklizně a konzervace travnĂ­ch senåŞí o vysokĂŠ suĹĄině. VĂ˝sledky umoŞňujĂ­ svĂ˝m charakterem doporučenĂ­ pro udrĹženĂ­ chovu dojnic takĂŠ v podhorskĂ˝ch oblastech, ve kterĂ˝ch byl mnohde zaznamenĂĄn jeho vĂ˝raznějĹĄĂ­ Ăşstup, pro jejich vhodnost k produkci mlĂŠka srovnatelnĂŠ kvality a moĹžnĂŠ vĂ˝hody v sĂ˝rařstvĂ­.

Reshaping agri-environmental subsidies: From marginal farming to large-scale rewilding

Despite continued discussion about market distortions and environmental impacts, agricultural subsidies continue to be a key component of European Union policy. About 10% of the agro-forestry subsidies are targeted at supporting agri-environment schemes, and at supporting farming in Less Favoured Areas (LFA) such as mountain regions. One of the main justifications for these agri-environmental subsidies towards marginally productive land is that they promote the conservation of biodiversity by maintaining low-intensity farming practices. Here, we critically examine this assumption and argue instead for a two-tier approach to Europe's agri-environmental policy based on inherent land fertility and spatial scale: (i) at a local, single-farm scale, fertile agricultural land should preferentially be intensively but sustainably farmed with a focus on high yields, (ii) while simultaneously and at larger, regional scales, less-productive land, and especially protected areas, may be ecologically restored into ‘wild’ and resiliently functioning ecosystems. As such, agri-environmental subsidies towards fertile land should support the implementation of measures that benefit biodiversity while allowing, and even helping, the achievement of high agricultural yields. In contrast, agri-environmental and LFA subsidies towards marginal land and protected areas should also promote rewilding and the management of natural succession. In order for this approach to be successful, a higher proportion of the Common Agricultural Policy subsidies would need to be allocated to environmental goals.

Vyhodnocení některých ukazatelů pitné vody ve vybraných, různě hospodařících chovech dojnic v České republice

The paper evaluates drinking water quality on selected dairy farms on the territory of the Czech Republic. The drinking water samples were collected in the farm milk storage rooms of 30 farms with subsequently made analyses. The pre – selected chemical and microbiological indicators were stated according to the regulation No. 252/2004 Coll. (pH, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, colour, turbidity, Fe, ammonia ions, nitrites, nitrates, colony count growing at 36 °C, colony count growing at 22 °C, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, Cr and Ni). The statistical evaluation was performed in the obtained data file and these data were compared with the limit va­lues given by the regulation. The nitrate content ranged between 1 and 40.7 mg L−1 with an average of 15.6 mg L−1. The pH values varied from 5.71 to 8. The chloride concentration geometrical means was 7.57 mg L−1 1. The Ca average concentration 58.5 mg L−1 was in the middle of the recommended interval 40–80 mg L−1. The geometric means in Mg content was 7.9 mg L−1 being under the recommended va­lue 20–30 mg L−1. The Cu, Pb, Cr and Ni limit values were not exceeded. The limit values in microbiological analyses were exceeded 18x in coliform bacteria, 10x in enterococci, 5x in Escherichia coli. The microbiological colonies growing at 36 °C exceeded limit 9x, those growing at 22 °C 5x.Further, differences are compared between the organic and conventional farms, and between farms producing milk in different type of LFAs (less favourable areas) and farms not included in these ­areas. The difference found out between the chloride concentrations in organic (6.56 mg L−1) and conventional farms (18.2 mg L−1; p < 0.05) was statistically significant. Locality or altitude, where a given far is situated, were another classifying criterion. A significant dependence was only found out in nitrate content, which decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing altitude (the correlation coefficient value −0.39). It can correspond with the soil use decrease – a lesser fertilization intensity. Statistically significant dif­fe­ren­ces were found out in hardness value as well as in Ca, Mg contents connected with that in all reference criterions. The hardness was clearly lower (1.13 mmol L−1) in organic farms as compared with concentration 2.27 mmol L−1 in conventional ones. It is, however, only a supplementary indicator according to the respective regulation. No statistical significance was found among microbiological finding va­lues in any case.

Economic aspects of lfa and organic farming payments in Latvia

Less favoured area (LFA) payments and organic farming (OF) payments represent a third of all public funding available for RDP 2007–2013 in Latvia and are used by about two- thirds of all farms. The aim of the study is to assess the economic impact of LFA and OF payments. The data from Rural Support Service, FADN and statistics of agricultural sector were used to conduct the study. A group of farms receiving support payments was compared with a group without this kind of support, in order to evaluate the impact of support payments. The results show that LFA payments have facilitated a significant income growth, especially for small farms. They have also contributed to more intense use of the land. Since OF support has not contributed enough to the agricultural production, direct payments to production will increase economic impact of support payments.

Evidence on the environmental impacts of farm land abandonment in high altitude/mountain regions: a systematic map

Abstract Background Many ecosystems have developed in the presence of agriculture and cessation of management resulting from land abandonment can have significant ecological impacts. Around 56 percent of the utilised agricultural area of the European Union is classified as ‘less-favourable areas’ and much of this is mountainous. The small-scale and extensively managed farmlands that are common in mountain areas are particularly vulnerable to marginalisation and abandonment. We conducted the first systematic global mapping of evidence to inform stakeholders and policy makers of the potential impacts of farm land abandonment in mountain areas. Methods Evidence was collated from a range of academic literature databases and grey literature sources. Identified articles (8,489) were screened for relevance at title, abstract and full text using predefined inclusion criteria set out in a published protocol. Relevant studies (165 across 189 articles) were then mapped using predefined coding and critically appraised for internal validity (i.e. susceptibility to bias). Results Mapping identified a number of interesting themes in the evidence base: the majority of research was undertaken in arable and mixed farming systems; large evidence bases were found in China, Spain and Italy; studies were mostly observational with spatial/successional comparators; biodiversity, soil and vegetation were most frequently studied. Several knowledge gaps were identified: including outcomes (socioeconomics and environmental hazards), regions (key mountain ranges including the Himalaya), and specific outcome-region groups (e.g. vegetation and soil measures in the UK). Several deficiencies in methodology were identified across studies: a lack of replication; non-random sample selection; lack of methodological detail (including details of spatial scale, replication, and sample selection). Discussion Systematic mapping has produced a searchable database of studies relating to high altitude farmland abandonment. The map identifies a number of potential areas for fruitful future synthesis, for example research on biodiversity, soil and vegetation in the Loess Hilly Plateau in China, and soil research in Spain. Such synthesis would be rapid given the effort expended here in identifying and screening relevant articles. It also points to several areas that were under-represented in the literature, such as natural hazards (avalanche, fire and flood risk), that would potentially benefit from increased primary research.