Geografie 2007, 112, 48-60
Impact of selected political and institutional factors on Czech agriculture and landscape
In this article, we focused on the influence of two institutional factors - EU subsidies and supports, and system of ownership and lease of agricultural land - on the state and changes of agriculture and land use in Czechia after its accession to the EU in 2004. This assessment was based on a series of questionnaires and interviews with farmers and other actors involved, conducted recently in two model regions: Český Brod in the fertile lowland of Central Bohemia; and Sněžné in less favoured natural conditions of the Bohemian-Moravian Highland. Firstly, we concentrated on market conditions, economic viability and effects of and problems related to the system of supports and subsidies destined for the Czech agricultural sector after 2004. Special attention was devoted to grassing. Secondly, we discussed the contrast between ownership and use of land - the fact that most of the Czech agricultural land is currently leased. We tried to define negative effects of this fact, both for farming and for landscape - e.g. uncertainty about the future, unwillingness to invest into leased plots, or weak relationship of farmers to land.
Keywords
agriculture, subsidies, landscape, land ownership, land lease, Czechia, Český Brod, Sněžné.
Funding
Příspěvek je výstupem grantového projektu GAUK č. 258/2006/B-GEO/PrF "Vliv institucionálních faktorů na současné změny využití ploch v Česku" a výzkumného záměru MŠM 0021620831 "Geografické systémy a rizikové procesy v kontextu globálních změn a evropské integrace".
