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FARM SIZE AND FARMING METHOD-S IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: LATVIA-S CASE
Abstract
Nowadays, new rural paradigm foresees sustainable development and the transition of agriculture and rural areas from agricultural origin goods providers to providers of various goods and services, which are based on ecosystem services, especially agroecosystem services. The one group of ecosystem services - provisioning services (biomass e.g. food and fiber) could be better provided by intensive and industrialized farms. The other group of ecosystem services could be assured by farms complying with the agro-ecological agriculture or organic agriculture principles, particularly by small (family) and medium farms. The aim of presenting study was to evaluate the impact of farm size and farming management (intensive or extensive), as well as agrarian and rural policy on agricultural sector capability to provide ecosystem services, including biodiversity. Besides, the influence of common agriculture policy (CAP) and supporting measures financed by the Latvian Rural Development Plan (RDP) of both periods (2007-2013 and 2014-2020) on potentiality to ensure ecosystem services has been examined. The principal materials used for the research are as follows: different sources of literature; the data from Eurostat database and Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) of Latvia database, and unpublished data from database of Latvian Rural Support Service (RSS). The findings show that the trends of farm size changes and farming intensification, as well as the impact of RDP agri-environmental measures? implementation don?t support ecosystem services provision. The reason of it could be controversial nature of CAP.
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References15
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