Agriculture of the Czech Republic has features of submonate and montane agriculture. More than half of the surface of the Czech Republic are less favourable areas (LFA). Active state support of farming focused on the extensive production and maintenance of the countryside and the other environmental services is the crucial point of a successful development of competitive and economical (from the point of view of the environment) production in LFA. Organic farming is carried out on the area of 6 % of the surface of agricultural land, most of agricultural land is worked with conventional methods of farming. In the Czech Republic there are significant differences between structure of the organic and conventional farming, especially in the share of arable land and share of permanent grasslands. The differences between organic and conventional farming systems can be located also in structure of production and in some other parameters (average acreage of the farms…). The contemporary state of farming has been evaluated and organic and conventional farming systems have been compared in the framework of the analysis of structure of farming in the Czech Republic. The selective group of 437 associations was divided into three different subgroups, and into several categories according to the farming method and altitude. Parameters of plant and animal production and use of the agroenvironmental programmes and measures are evaluated. The evaluation of the structure of farming permits to find optimal possibilities of future development of conventional and organic farming in the Czech Republic and of arrangements of the settings of grants and subsidies

Konvalina, Petr

Moudry, Jan (Jr.)

English

Organic Eprints

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FARMING SYSTEMS IN THECZECH REPUBLIC  Jan MOUDRÝ1, Petr KONVALINA2 1, University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Agriculture, České Budějovice JMoudry@zf.jcu.cz 2 University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Agriculture, České Budějovice konvalina@zf.jcu.cz  Abstract  Agriculture of the Czech Republic has features of submonate and montane agriculture. More than half of the surface of the Czech Republic are less favourable areas (LFA). Active state support of farming focused on the extensive production and maintenance of the countryside and the other environmental  services  is  the  crucial  point  of  a  successful  development  of  competitive  and economical (from the point of view of the environment) production in LFA. Organic farming is carried out on the area of 6 % of the surface of agricultural land, most of agricultural land is worked  with  conventional  methods  of  farming.  In  the  Czech  Republic  there  are  significant differences between structure of the organic and conventional farming, especially in the share of arable land and share of permanent grasslands. The differences between organic and conventional farming systems can be located also in structure of production and in some other parameters (average acreage of the farms…). The contemporary state of farming has been evaluated and organic and conventional farming systems have been compared in the framework of the analysis of structure of farming in the Czech Republic. The selective group of 437 associations was divided into three different subgroups, and into several categories according to the farming method and altitude.  Parameters  of  plant  and  animal  production  and  use  of  the  agroenvironmental programmes and measures are evaluated. The evaluation of the structure of farming permits to find optimal  possibilities  of  future  development  of  conventional  and  organic  farming  in  the  Czech Republic and of arrangements of the settings of grants and subsidies.  Key Words Organic farming, farming structure, plant production, farming systems, sustainable farming   Contemporary differences between the organic and conventional farming is based on situation in years after the World War Two in fact. During that time the Czech agriculture rapidly changed when the state border area had been locked up after year 1948. This step significantly restrained farming  in  these  areas.  Also  the  rest  of  agricultural  land  had  been  very  adversely  affected  by demonstrative land consolidation into large fields which led to environmentally worth ecosystems elimination and landscape structure simplification and landscape heterogeneity reduction (Sklenička, 2003). In that time generally without relation to the environmental conditions the share of grain crops dramatically raised over 50 %. Maize as the main fodder crop began to be used substituting clover crops and clovergrasses, permanent grasslands were predominantly changed into arable land. This trend led to field area enlargement, ignorance of soil erosion measurements and reducing the share of free landscape verdure (Kender, 2004).  Extensive  changes  proceeded  in  the  animal  production  as  well.  In  the  fifties  the  animal production begun to concentrate into specialized high-capacity units replacing then individually spread farms. Higher concentration of livestock in one place caused contamination of soil and water even when grazed. In places with periodical animal migration and concentration content of nitrogen in soil increased several times and caused expansion of weedery. While in the inaccessible areas for heavy machinery escalated bushes frequency in periodically harvested and fertilized by mineral fertilizers areas the landscape greenery and its species diversity rapidly decreased (Kroupová, Suchý, 1992). As a resulting  effect  of  mentioned  processes  was  destruction  of  the  environmentally  worth  ecosystems causing  lower  biological  and  production  potential  of  the  landscape  combined  with  soil  erosion exposure. (Sklenička 2003, Anonymus 1, 2006).  Such a state had continued until year 1990 when ownership of land changed thanks to land reversion to the original owners which led to re-creation of smaller farms. Just some of those farms as the first begun with implementation of organic farming. Unfortunately because of stopped national subventions in years 1993 – 1997 organic farming has more intensively developed during last decade. Although  the  organic  and  conventional  farming  in  the  Czech  Republic  differ  in  many  ways restructuralization  of  private  farming  on  land  has  still  been  insufficient.  Meaning  of  the environmentally  friendly  farming  in  low  productive  areas  is  crucial  (Hampicke,  Liptersky, Wichtmann, 2005), therefore there must be respected proper agronomical practices, rotation of crops (Vrkoč, Vach, 1995), share of perennial plant (Šroller, Novák, 2000), use of suitable indigenous plant species (Samsonová, Šarapatka, Urban, 2005) and application of biological and agrotechnical methods of plant growths protection. Also the organic farming must be economically effective despite of the production losses. This is achieved by the subventions programmes.   Material a methods  Data used for the analysis of structure of the conventionally and organically farming subjects were collected by means of question-forms and directed interview. Basic schema of the question-form research was based on specially oriented research project of the Sixth framework programme  carried out by the Research Institute of Agricultural Economics Prague and national institute INRA – ESR in Rennes for the European  Commission  to  study  the  institutionary  aspects  of  the  agroenvironmental  programmes implementation and was expanded by the mentioned question-forms. The main questionnaire research has monitored situation in the whole Czech Republic (file I), the forms has consequentially helped to monitor situation in the South Bohemia and in the Pilsner region (south and west of the Czech Republic – file III) and in counties Klatovy, Prachatice, Český Krumlov (south of the CR – soubor II). File distribution shows map in Fig. 1. Within  the  framework  of  question-form  research  were  contacted  more  than  2500  agricultural subjects in different areas of the Czech Republic, the percentage of successfully returned and answered forms was 18 %. The obtained database was analyzed for preparation of information file related to farming way (conventional, organic), plant production and animal production structure and general evaluation of the level and way of environmental friendly practices within the frame of agroenvironmental programmes and measures. Besides these factors the questionnaire research monitored number of additional facts as well. For the choice of testing parameters the accent was put on their informative value and mutual comparability of the testing files.  Fig. 1 – Testing file distribution                                        White - Czech Republic (file I)         Red - counties Klatovy, Prachatice, Český Krumlov (file II) Green - South Bohemia and Pilsner region (file III)               RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS  Allocation of conventional and organic farming systems in relation to altitude  In the Czech Republic the share of organic farming makes approximately 6 % of the whole agricultural land, on most of the land conventional farming system is applied. The number of organic farms and the area under organic cultivation increases with rising altitude. In the productive regions of the Czech Republic the share of organic farming is minimal. While in areas with elevation of 400 m above see level makes the share of organically farming subjects 4%, in elevation of 700 m above see level it represents nearly 30 %. The step difference in elevation of 650 m above see level results from the marginality line and related economical efficiency of conventional farming producing common commodities. In the montane LFA regions the non-productive environmental function is relatively carried out. Also Střeleček (2002) mentions that the conversion to the desirable extensive farming in the marginal areas leads to higher production quality and ecological production at all. On the other hand the production function of organic farming  is significantly suppressed which results in very insufficient delivery of bioproducts on the market intensified by poor range of this assortment. In relation to altitude the number of conventionally farming subjects decreases, although this farming system markedly outweighs the organic farming in all elevations.   Diag. 1 – The relation between altitude and number of organically farming subjects within chosen file of subjects in the Czech Republic  y = 0,0161x - 2,8415R2 = 0,5182-2024681012140 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800Řada1Lineární (Řada1)  Farms selection  Structure of farming subjects as far as the area of cultivated land is concerned features strict dual characteristic. A great number of small farms fall on very minor area of cultivated land – 70% of all the subjects cover 2,3 % of the whole agricultural land and conversely large companies (2,1 % of all the subjects only) cover almost 60 % of the cultivated area. An average area under cultivation per farm expressed using the arithmetic average makes 71 ha. However when used the weighted arithmetic average to take into account the difference in area under cultivation of particular groups of farms the result shows much higher area of 1507 ha. This duality appears more significantly by conventional farms, because only few of organic farms manage larger areas of land. Smallest farms cultivate areas of hectares (the smallest conventional farm manage area of 2,94 ha,  the  smallest  organic  farm  cultivates  area  of  mere  0,2  ha.  Largest  subjects  manage  areas  of thousands hectares (largest organic farm - 2342,44 ha, largest conventional farm - 5245,00.  Structure of plant production  In general the structure of plant production completely differs when compared organic and conventional farming. Since the last half a century conventional farming has not been transformed much, structure of organic farms developed in nineties is markedly different. The process of organic farming principles implementation respectively conversion to organic farming according to organic farming  law  242/2000  Sb.,  and  Regulation  EK  2092/91  has  not  passed  gradually  but  farms  with production  on  arable  land  completely  focused  their  activities  onto  farming  on  grasslands  with consequential clearance sale of machinery and technologies for farming on arable land. This change also  led  to  reduction  of  milk  production  and  to  non-milk  beef-raising  trend.  In  most  of  cases contemporary organic farming means farming on grasslands with great reduction of production on arable  land.  The  share  of  grasslands  by  organic  farms  makes  93,56%,  while  only  25,95%  by conventionally farming subjects. Percentual share of grassed areas in the Czech Republic increases to targeted 37% of grasslands which corresponds to results by Penk (2001), who considers current share of grassland to be still insufficient. High percentage of grassed areas by organic farms results from grants  scheme  (Moudrý,  Friebelová,  2006),  which  motivates  farms  to  complete  grassing  without respect to elevation of their area.  Great  difference  between  conventional  and  organic  farming  systems  can  be  found  when compared area of arable land. While conventional farms manage on average 74,7% share of arable land, organic farming exploits 8,1% only. Rotation of crop features very similar trends in both systems. Dominant share represent in both systems cereal crops, in production areas the share of cereal crops makes 62,0%, in transition regions  (450-600  m  above  see  level)  61,1%  and  in  regions  over  600  m  it  makes  58,2%.  High percentage of cereal crops results from reduced areas of fodder crops on arable land in consequence of low numbers of cattle. Highest share among cereal crops represents wheat - 26,42%, other important species are oat (23,04%), barley (21,17%) and rye (19,54%). Lower rates represent triticale (5,73%) and spelt (4,11%).  Graf. 2 – Share of cereal crops on arable land by the conventional and organic enterprises in the Czech Republic  0102030405060708090100bellow 450m a.s.l.450 - 600 ma.s.l.above 600 ma.s.l.% share of cereal cropson arable land - organicfarming% share of cereal cropson arable land -conventional farming A certain dissimilarity between organic and conventional farming is evident in relation to oil plant cultivation. Conventional farms relocated the majority of rape production into areas with lower elevation. In elevations up to 600 m above see level the rate of oil plants within a crop rotation represents c. 16,5% and the most common plant is rape, which is totally absent in crop rotations used by the organic farms. All of the monitored farms do not practically grow legumes on arable land (minor percentage of 1,52%). The share of legumes (leguminous plants and clover plants) on arable land fall short of their importance in crop rotations intended for organic farming. Low rates also fall on potatoes that represent the mere percentage of 1,23% against the optimal rate of 5% presented by Penk (2001). Currently used crop rotations within the both farming systems feature very low numbers of used species and extremely high share of grain crops. Wheat before all is the less optimal species from the environmental point of view. This fact corresponds to theses concluded by Kvapilík (1999), Šimon (1996), Moudrého, Strašila (1999) and others, who state that diversity of plant production in montane regions should be extended using wider range of traditional and unconventional crop species.   Structure of livestock production  If focused on livestock production there are several contrast evident between organic and conventional farming. Besides the differences resulting from the organic farming law 242/2000 Sb. there  appears  evident  distinction  in  animal  husbandry  trend.  While  conventional  farms  focus  on commercial milk production (10% only by organic farming), organic farms target the meat breeds for non-milk cattle production. Organic farming specialization in cattle breeding without commercial milk production results from current grant conditions that implicate minimal livestock loads on land. Therefore the pasture cattle breed means the most efficient way from the economic point of view for organic farms. This fact result in 90 % share of bio-beef within the total bioproduction in the Czech Republic. Moreover most of  this  production  is  sold  as  a  conventionally  produced  beef  because  of  insufficient  bio-beef processing  capacities.  Different  situation  shows  with  other  kinds  of  farm  animals.  Organic  farms specialize in sheep and goat breeding. Pig and poultry breeding is practically missing, which flow from high-capacity conventional production out of arable land farming being applied in the recent past, this state has still been lasting. According to environmental principles these businesses are not suitable  before  all  the  high-kapacity  pig  plants  with  possible load  up  to  8  livestock  units/ha.  An average load in the monitored files of farms reach 0,44 livestock unit/ha, particular farms reach values 0-2 livestock units/ha   CONCLUSIONS  In the Czech Republic the restructuralization of farming has not sufficiently passed yet. Even for organic farm the dominant purpose for their activities consist the only economic prosperity, which in connection with grant scheme leads to nearly complete grassing agricultural land without regards to the type of production region and altitude. Conventionally farming subject are motivated to grass land partially only which results in insufficient rate of grasslands in regions with higher elevation. Crop rotations feature very poor diversity of crops with very high rates of cereal crops regardless concrete farming principles at all. Due to current grant scheme organic farming has differentiated from the conventional way of farming significantly in the montane and submontane regions thanks to high rates of grassed areas that helps to fulfil its environmental function. However its production function has been rapidly reduced which is reflected for example in narrow range of bioproduction. Future aims of the  grant scheme  should be  focused  on  support  of  organic  farming  areas  expansion.  However  in production regions and submontane regions partially should be oriented on arable land by means of crop rotation diversification instead of further grassing.   This work was supported by grant MSM: 6007665806 BIBLIOGRAPHY  1.  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Analysis of farming in marginal areas and prediction of expected progress.

Anonymus 1: http://www.cmmj.cz/download/agroenvi-web.pdf

Chov krav bez tržní produkce mléka z hlediska vstupu České republiky do EU,

K rostlinné výrobě v marginálních oblastech,

Mimoprodukční funkce zemědělství a ochrana krajiny. Institut výchovy a vzdělávání Mze,

Péče o krajinu,

Pěstitelský systém – ekonomická stabilizace rostlinné výroby. In:

Pěstování alternativních plodin, skripta, Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zemědělská fakulta,

Principy zemědělské činnosti v podmínkách zvýšené ochrany přírody. ČB, Jihočeská universita, zemědělská fakulta,

Přínos ekologického zemědělství pro kvalitu podzemních a povrchových vod. Pro-Bio Šumperk a Bioinstitut O.P.S. Olomouc

Srovnávací analýza ekonomických výsledků zemědělských podniků v produkčních a horských oblastech. In: Sborník z mezinárodního vědeckého semináře. Předvstupní strategie českého zemědělství na cestě do EU, 9.,

Střídání plodin – nejlevnější agrotechnické opatření.

Základy krajinného plánování,

Differences between organic and conventional farming systems in Czech Republic

Differences between organic and conventional farming systems in Czech Republic

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Organic Eprints