Elżbieta Bielecka - Monographic Series No 5
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Method of delimitation of less favoured farming areas with the use of spatial information system
Process of application of Poland for the European Union membership implies re-structurization of many spheres of economy, including agriculture. One of the priority problems in this field is to determine less favoured farming areas (LFA), having regard to possibility of obtaining by farmers managing such lands financial support. For determining these areas modern techniques and digital methods, which enable fast multi-variant analyses of spatial data and their graphic presentation, were used.
The prepared method consists of the model for determining less favoured farming areas and delineation for model implementation. Criteria for LFA determination proposed by the European Union and accepted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Economy, were applied for model elaboration. The method enables to determine less favoured farming areas with division into mountainous, infertile and special lands on the territory of the whole Poland. Farming in mountainous areas is more difficult due to climatic conditions and relief. Shortened vegetation period causes lower yields and steep slopes imply higher production costs. As infertile areas lands with low productivity are considered, as well as those threatened with abandonment. According to LFA criteria special areas are recognized as those characterized by specific problems related to protection of environment and appearance of marginal soils.
While determining less favoured farming areas two groups of criteria are to be distinguished: topographic and social-economic criteria. Topographic criteria are related to physical parameters of agricultural land: mean elevation, slope and aspect of terrain. Social-economic criteria enable to take into consideration first of all land productivity and population. Starting pre-access negotiations with the European Union the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Economy assumed, that for determining less favoured farming areas two methods will be utilized. First method is based on analysis and evaluation of natural environmental conditions (slope, elevation); it will be applied mainly in the mountains and uplands. The second method is based on analysis of statistical data describing environmental, social and economic conditions of communes (index of valorization of agricultural land, density of population, efficiency of farms); it will be applied on the whole territory of Poland. Particular types of LFA, due to technological differences, are determined separately; the results of applying partial models can be used jointly or independently. These results are visualized in the form of thematic maps and LFA acreages are recorded as attributes attached to the units of territorial division of Poland.
Data indispensable for determining less favoured farming areas was stored in the database. Special emphasis was put in this work to design of database and next to integration and harmonization of different formats and types of data. The database includes among others information about administrative division of Poland, land use, terrain slopes and elevations, soils, protected areas, valorization of agricultural land, as well as the selected statistical census data.
Implementation of the method of LFA determination requires usage of ArcView software; within this environment the application has been prepared. Owing to automation of analytical procedures and modification of interface the application can be used by GIS non-professionals. It has character of aid-decision system due to possibilities of variant analyses and easy manipulation of different criteria.
The article presents results of the works obtained within research project No 9T12E01717 “Method of delimitation less favoured farming areas with the use of spatial information system”, financed by the State Committee for Scientific Research.