Current Farming Practices-Probistip 2010

8/6/2019 Current Farming Practices-Probistip 2010

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/current-farming-practices-probistip-2010 1/22

EU Support to Partnership Actions

EU Environmental Policies and Strategies in South Eastern Europe: Capacity Building for the Implementation of EUEnvironmental Policies and Strategies in F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia

Workshop

Building Capacity ± Supporting the Development and Implementation of

Agri-environment schemes

Current Farming practices in Macedonia ² are

they sustainable and why?

Prof. Dr. Suzana Kratovalieva

e-mail: [email protected]

Workshop "Building Capacity"25-26 Nov 2010 Probistip



BackgroundBackground

� Agriculture is a traditional branch

of the Macedonian economy,because of its favorable climatic

conditions, rich natural resources,

and established production

experience.

� Out of the total land area of

Macedonia of 25,713 km2,agricultural land in the Republic of

Macedonia comprises around

50%, or 1.26 million hectares.

� Out of this, 560,000 hectares

(44%) are cultivated and 704,000

hectares are considered pastures.� As a key sector of the

Macedonian economy, agriculture

production contributes around 12%

to the national GDP (2008).




Some facts, info¶s«Some facts, info¶s«

According to the MAFWE Farm Registry,

there are 80,000 households dealing with

agriculture� as the average farms are small

� production remains fragmented and

oftentimes inconsistent

� limiting their competitiveness and

profitability.




� More than 80% of the land belongs to private

farms

� there are approximately 192,000 individualfarms on roughly 320,000 hectares

� An average farm size of 2.5 hectares

� The farm size is even smaller (ranging from 0.2 -1.0 hectares1) in the vegetable sector

� Regarding the significance of the different

agricultural sub-sectors, the contribution of the

livestock sector and crop production to the Agricultural Gross Production is around 21% and

79%, respectively




Animal farming

� Animal production is an important segment of

Macedonian agriculture.

� Historically, livestock breeding has been carriedout on private farms (with the exception of pigs

and poultry) for a very long time

� In the last ten years, livestock production has

witnessed a downward trend, with livestockquantity decreasing

� However, milk production has increased

significantly since 2000Workshop "Building Capacity"

25-26 Nov 2010 Probistip



Animal farming

Broiler Production

� Specialized broiler production is a relatively new

development, but is steadily increasing despite the large

imports of frozen broiler meat� Broiler production is organized on big farms of the

industrial type

� >30 smaller private farms organize broiler production

based upon on a cooperative principle, which providesonly 38% of the annual poultry meat demands in

Macedonia.




Animal farming

Sheep Production

� T

he sheep breeding sub-sector has a long tradition,which has been supported by favorable natural

conditions (50% of the agricultural area consists of

pastures)

� The number of sheep, since an official animal registry

and tagging system does existed stands atapproximately 1.3 million sheep




AgricultureAgriculture

Fruit farmingFruit farming

� Most of the traditional fruit production is located

in the C and SW parts of Macedonia

� Soft fruit production, such as with strawberries,are a relatively recent development in

Macedonia

� Due to their high value and high demand on

local markets, they may be a valuable alternativefor smaller Macedonian farmers.





AgricultureAgriculture

Vegetable farmingVegetable farming

�Macedonia is a unique country where the land cultivated for

vegetables makes up about 50,000 hectares (10% of the total

arable land).

� Almost all of the vegetable production comes from individualfarms (97% of volume from 102,000 farms), while the remainder

is covered by company production (3% from 50 entities).

�From Y2000 onwards, vegetable production has been

continuously increasing, with the leading fresh crops being

peppers, tomatoes, melons, cabbage and cucumbers.

�The greenhouse cultivation of vegetables is considered a

profitable activity.



Are they sustainable?

Sustainable farming practices, such as zero

tillage or integrated pest control, can

reduce the need for agricultural inputs like

chemicals or water, improve carbon

sequestration and help prevent land

degradation.







Walking beyond the way , but towards

EU, there was appeared need of CAPreforms«

«and start with supports«

Subsidies per unit of product

Subsidies for the purchase of protectiveequipment, fertilizers, machinery«




But, also of«But, also of«

Negative consequences

There was a poisoning and

allergies Genetically modified

organisms

The world depends on a few

crops

Pollution of soil and water




Thereby«

Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy in 2003

Establishment of standards for quality and food safety

Nitrate directive - Good Agricultural Practice

Payments per unit area

Because « New Member States by 2016 should be 100% funded

by the EC Only those agricultural entities will abide by established

standards of the Common Agricultural Policy will be

able to take advantage of the support.




What are Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)?

Good agricultural practice is accepted as an expression of good will of

all Member States. Refers to agricultural development by giving priority

to the protection of the environment and human health at national,

regional and global level.

Good Agricultural Practices are "practices that address environmental,

economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes, and result in

safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products" (FAO CO AG

2003 GAP paper).

GAP practices:

� ensuring safety and quality of produce in the food chain

� capturing new market advantages by modifying supply chain governance

� improving natural resources use, workers health and working conditions, and/or

� creating new market opportunities for farmers and exporters in developing countries.




2007-1st version is made (inapplicable, too

large and complicated)

Recommendations:

-To develop a legal framework (Regulation on GAP)

-To prepare a manual of GAP

-To make thematic brochures on GAP (for farmers)




( 25.08.2010)

IPARD , , ±




GAP means«GAP means«

GAP may serve as a reference tool for deciding, at each

step in the production process, on practices and/or

outcomes that are environmentally sustainable and

socially acceptable. The implementation of GAP should

therefore contribute to Sustainable Agriculture and Rural

Development (SARD)




Potential benefits of GAPPotential benefits of GAP

� Appropriate adoption and monitoring of GAP helps improve thesafety and quality of food and other agricultural products.

� It may help reduce the risk of non-compliance with national and

international regulations, standards and guidelines (in particular of

the Codex Alimentarius Commission , World Organisation for Animal

Health (OIE) and the International Plant Protection Convention IPPCregarding permitted pesticides, maximum levels of contaminants

(including pesticides, veterinary drugs, radionuclide and mycotoxins)

in food and non-food agricultural products, as well as other

chemical, microbiological and physical contamination hazards.

� Adoption of GAP helps promotes sustainable agriculture andcontributes to meeting national and international environment and

social development objectives.




Challenges related to GAPChallenges related to GAP

� In some cases GAP implementation and especially record keeping and certification

will increase production costs. In this respect, lack of harmonization between existing

GAP-related schemes and availability of affordable certification systems has often led

to increased confusion and certification costs for farmers and exporters.

� Standards of GAP can be used to serve competing interests of specific stakeholders

in agri-food supply chains by modifying supplier-buyer relations.� There is a high risk that small scale farmers will not be able to seize export market

opportunities unless they are adequately informed, technically prepared and

organised to meet this new challenge with governments and public agencies playing

a facilitating role.

� Compliance with GAP standards does not always foster all the environmental and

social benefits which are claimed.

� Awareness raising is needed of 'win-win' practices which lead to improvements in

terms of yield and production efficiencies as well as environment and health and

safety of workers. One such approach is Integrated Production and Pest

Management (IPPM).







Documents

Current Farming Practices-Probistip 2010