SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE LIGHT OFEUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS

The Higher KOS project „Sustainable Agriculture in the light of European environmental targets“ (K-09-2012) was implemented in Austria, Croatia and Kosovo from 2013-2015.

This brochure represents the results of the project activities, the status quo of agriculture and environment protection in the partner countries and the opportunities for students to become

part of the agrarian community.

All project participants are part of this brochure.

Project team:

Lead partner:Agricultural Research and Education Centre (AREC) Raumberg-Gumpenstein

Department of Project Development and ManagementRaumberg 38, 8952 Irdning, AUSTRIA

www.raumberg-gumpenstein.at Team leader: Renate Mayer (renate.mayer@raumberg-gumpenstein.at)

Project partners: University of Prishtina, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary

Department for Agriculture EconomicsBill Clintons Str. No. #, 10000 Pristine, KOSOVO

www.fbv.uni-pr.edu Team leader: Ekrem Gjokaj (ekremgjokaj@gmail.com)

Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Poreč, Croatia (IPTPO)Department of Agriculture and NutritionKarla Huguesa 8, 52 440 Poreč, CROATIA

www.iptpo.hrTeam leader: Barbara Sladonja (barbara@iptpo.hr)

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The views expressed in this brochure are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the institutions they represent.

All rights reserved.Reproduction of material from this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders.

Editor:Agricultural Research and Education Centre (AREC)Raumberg-GumpensteinRaumberg 38, 8952 Irdning, AUSTRIAwww.raumberg-gumpenstein.at

Renate Mayer, Claudia Plank

Authors:Renate Mayer, Claudia Plank, Barbara Sladonja, Danijela Poljuha, Marin Krapac, Kristina Brščić, Ekrem Gjokaj, Hanna Scheck

In cooperation with:Paul Axmann, Albin Blaschka, Andreas Bohner, Thomas Friess, Michael Getzner, Thomas Guggenberger, Petra Haslgrübler, Karin Hochegger, Reinhard Huber, Tea Ivančić, Andreas Köberl, Daniel Kreiner, Christian Komposch, Ferdinand Ringdorfer, Franz Rosner, Markus Stadler, Walter Starz, Andreas Steinwidder, Melita Zec Vojinović

Students from Kosovo: Egzon Bajrami, Pajtime Doberdolani, Festë Gjonbalaj, Gentë Kadriu, Vjosa Kida, Nol Krasniqi, Leart Osmani, Sokol Sallahu, Lavdije Sopi

ISBN:978-3-902849-25-0Copyright © 2015

Development and print of this brochure was carried out with major financial support from the Higher KOS project „Promoting Institutional Development in Higher Education and Research in Kosovo“.

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CONTENTS

ArticlesHIGHER KOS – Promoting Institutional Development in Higher Education and Research in Kosovo................................................................................................................................5H. Scheck

Sustainable Agriculture in the Light of European Environmental Targets – A Cooperation Project between Austria, Croatia and Kosovo..............................................................6R. Mayer, C. Plank, B. Sladonja, D. Poljuha, E. Gjokaj, F. Rosner

Organic Agriculture in the European Union: Standards – Development – Farming – Import – Controls...................................................................12P. Axmann

Agriculture, Nature Protection and Biodiversity in SEE-Countries – Strengths and Weaknesses...................................................................................................................15K. Brščić, D. Poljuha, M. Krapac, B. Sladonja

Rural Development Policy in Austria 2014-2020..................................................................................19M. Stadler

The Austrian Agricultural Sector...........................................................................................................22R. Mayer

Land-use Management and Biodiversity – Case Kosovo’s Experience.................................................25E. Gjokaj

Overview of Status Quo in Sustainable Agriculture in Croatia.............................................................30M. Krapac, B. Sladonja, K. Brščić, D. Poljuha

Agriculture and Biodiversity in Croatia in the Lights of European Targets – Best Practice................34D. Poljuha, B. Sladonja, M. Krapac, K. Brščić

Towards Promoting the Regional Cooperation – Agriculture and Environmental Protection...............39M. Zec Vojinović, T. Ivančić

Olive Oil Production in Croatia – Applying the Latest Ecological Tools................................................45M. Krapac

Grassland Based Low-Input Dairy Farming and Low-Input in Grassland Management.......................................................................................................................48W. Starz, A. Steinwidder, B. Thomson

Landscape as a Product? – Lessons learned from a five year Project in the Austrian Alps.............................................................................................................................54A. Blaschka, P. Haslgrübler, T. Guggenberger, R. Huber, F. Ringdorfer

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Land abandonment – Impacts on Biodiversity in the National Park Gesaeuse..................................62D. Kreiner, T. Frieß, C. Komposch, A. Bohner

Natura 2000: Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services...................................................................67M. Getzner

1st HIGHER KOS Training, Austria 2013 – Organic and Conventional Agriculture: Current Situation and Challenges for the Future.................................................................................71E. Bajrami, V. Kida, R. Mayer

2nd HIGHER KOS Training, Poreč 2013 – Exchange of Experience in Science, Research and Networking: Challenges for future Jobs and Careers................................................................80E. Bajrami, R. Mayer, B. Sladonja, D. Poljuha

Poster

Laws and Structures in General and for the Future – Options and Requirements..................................75 G. Kadriu, L. Sopi

Infrastructure, Logistic Potential, Access to Technology.........................................................................76E. Bajrami, N. Krasniqi

Sustainable Fields of Livestock Farming – Agrarian Production Potentials on Kosovo in Relation to Climate and Structural Development...........................................................................77 V. Kida, P. Doberdolani

Actual Situation of Agricultural Production in Kosovo......................................................................78L. Osmani, S. Sallahu

Mowing Wet Meadows with Horses...................................................................................................79K. Hochegger, R. Mayer, C. Plank, A. Köberl

Education System in Kosovo, towards Agriculture.............................................................................84V. Kida, P. Doberdolani

Best Practices in Rural Development, Direct Payments, Grants..........................................................85L. Osmani, S. Sallahu

Local Action Groups in Kosovo............................................................................................................86E. Bajrami, N. Krasniqi

Grape Production and Processing........................................................................................................87G. Kadriu, L. Sopi, F. Gjonbalaj

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THE AUSTRIAN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

R. Mayer

IntroductionThe worldwide supply of agricultural products plays a key role for the growing population. An innovative, sustainable agriculture needs rural areas for extensive production and services. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) needs to be implemented in Europe together with all resources and carful use of natural resources. The year 2013 was problematic for the Austrian agriculture. Statistic data showed a decline of income. The reasons were: • lower prices for grains and oilseeds, • lower harvests for grain maize by a persistent

drought in the summer months,• increased expenses for feed and• increased investment in machines with higher

depreciation.

The incomes of mountain farms showed a slight increase. The comprehensive management of our mountains and pastures is of high importance for food production, tourism, protection from natu-ral hazards and the conservation of biodiversity. These sectors were also supported in 2014 with targeted measures and in context to CAP and its actual reforms.

2014 was officially declared as International Year of family farms by the United Nations. The aware-ness of the added value of Austrian agriculture is to be strengthened through targeted application of local products.Goods and services from regi-onal farmers need to be promoted and funded.

In 2013 the production value of agriculture and forestry decreased by 2.2 %, thus amounting to about 8.74 billion EUR (of which agriculture 7.08 billion EUR and forestry 1.66 billion EUR).

In 2013 the agricultural production showed a downward trend in terms of volume as well as in terms of value. Consequently also the (nominal) incomes generated in agriculture decreased by 10.2 %.

Production value: • agriculture plant production share of 41 % or

2.9 billion EUR,• animal production made up 49 % and/or 3.5

billion EUR.

Plant production was marked by unfavourable weather conditions, which consequently resulted in a lower production volume. Producer prices showed a downward trend too, but animal pro-duction recorded on the contrary – due to the price increase – a growth.

Agricultural services and subsidiary activities accounted for 9.6 % of the production value. The share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the gross value added of the national economy was about 1.5% in 2013.

With about 145,500 annual working units (AWU), the input of labour in agriculture and forestry decreased again by 0.9% in 2013.

As far as the foreign trade with agricultural pro-ducts and foodstuffs is concerned, imports and exports of agricultural products hardly increased in 2013. Exports increased by 4.2 % to 9.52 billion EUR, imports by 3.1 % to 10.47 billion EUR. This resulted in an agricultural trade balance deficit of 0.96 billion EUR, which is 70 billion EUR less than in 2012. The index of the total output identified on the basis of the agricultural producer prices decreased by 0.4 % in 2013 compared to 2012, the one of the total input by 1.9 %.

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Farm structuresIn 2013, Austria had about 167,500 agricultural and forestry holdings, according to the Agri-culture Structure Survey 2013. This is a decline in the number of holdings compared to the previous agricultural structure 2010 by three percent. The decrease in the number of farms has further continued, however, the trend has slowed down. Whereas in the year 1996, thus in the year of Austria’s accession to the EU, still 239,100 holdings were recorded, this number has been reduced to 71,600 (- 30 %), in the course of the past ten years by 22,900 holdings and/or 12 %. Since 2003 about 2.300 farmers sold or leased their farms per year.

The Agriculture Structure Survey 2013 declared about 92 % of the Austrian agricultural and fore-stry holdings mainly as family farms.

The Austrian agriculture has still a rather small-scaled structure, however, the trend to larger holdings has continued uninterruptedly. In 1995 a holding had managed an average total area of 31.8 hectares. In 2013 the average area was 43.5 hectares. There is a similar trend for agricultural land, where an increase from 15.3 ha to 19.0 ha can be recorded. In the field of animal husbandry this trend can be observed too. In 1995 about 20 cattle were kept on an agricultural and forestry holding. The herd size is continuously rising to 29 cattle per farm.

A rapid development has been recorded in the pig sector. Since 1995, the average population has increased from 35 to 102 animals. Also in the sheep and goat sector, higher populations can be observed in recent years.

Income situationIn 2013 the incomes from agriculture and forestry companies amounted on average 25,698 EUR/ holding. Compared to 2012 they decreased by six percent and to the three years average it was a minus of four percent. A positive trend was a higher producer price for milk and higher yields from forestry. The yields rose by two percent, the expenses increased by five percent.

• Leverage ratio per farm: 11,5 %

• Enhancement of capital resources: 6.501 EUR• Net investment for constructions, machinery

and equipment: 7.073 EUR.

Permanent crop farms recorded the highest increase (+17%) in incomes. Slight increases of incomes were also recorded by forestry enterpri-ses and by feed farms. Income decreases of more than 20 % were recorded by granivore farms and cash crop farms. The average incomes from agriculture and fore-stry of all mountain farms amounted on 22,667 EUR per farm and were 12 % below the average income of all farms or 22 % below the average non-mountain farms. In 2013 the incomes from agriculture and forestry in organic farms stag-nated and amounted to 23,884 EUR per farm (serven percent below the average of all farms).According to Federal Provinces the highest inco-mes from agriculture and forestry per farm were reached in Lower Austria, the lowest incomes were reached in Tyrol and Carinthia in 2013.

Agricultural BudgetIn the year 2013 2,076 million EUR of EU, federal and province funds were spent for agriculture and forestry. This is about five percent and/or 110 million less than in 2012.

• 1st pillar of CAP: the decline amounted about 17 million EUR (the major part was the new budget discipline which has been applied for the first time)

• 2nd pillar of CAP: less than 34 million EUR were spent instead of the year before

The national funds from the agricultural budget decreased due to the abolition of the mineral oil tax refund. For market organisation of the CAP (first pillar), 734 EUR or 35 % of the agricultural budget were invested for about 109,700 agricul-tural holdings and agricultural communities as well as for more than 100 other applicants.

• 83 % allocated to the Single Payment Scheme • 13 % coupled animal payments

1,053 million EUR were spent on a total of 119,600 farms and about 3,250 other applicants

The Austrian Agricultural Sector

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subsidisation scheme for farmers can be offe-red in future. In the field of the Single Common Market Organisation there have not been seri-ous changes. The basic principles of the former safety network have been maintained. For the direct payments (1st pillar of the CAP) Austria will receive in the period 2014 to 2020 a total of 4.85 billion EUR of EU funds. On average Austria has an amount of 692.3 EUR per year available in this field.

References1. BMLFUW (2014): Grüner Bericht 2014; Be-

richt über die Situation der österreichischen Land- und Forstwirtschaft gemäss § 9 des Landwirtschaftsgesetzes, 55. Auflage, Wien; www.bmlfuw.gv.at.

2. Arbeiterkammer Wien (2011): Agrareinkom-men in Österreich und in der Europäischen Union Fact Sheets zur Verteilung der Einkom-men und Vermögen in der Landwirtschaft; Beiträge zur Wirtschaftspolitik Nr. 28; Wien, ISBN 978-3-7063-0409-2; http://media.arbeiterkammer.at/wien/PDF/studien/Agra-reinkommen_Mai_2011.pdf.

AUTHORRenate MayerAgricultural Research and Education CentreRaumberg-GumpensteinRaumberg 388952 Irdning-Donnersbachtal, AUSTRIAE-mail: renate.mayer@raumberg-gumpenstein.at

for implementation of the Rural Development Programme (pillar 2 of the CAP; 51 % of the expenses from the agricultural budget). The re-maining 14 % are dedicated to other measures which were exclusively financed from national funds from the Federal Government and the Federal Provinces.

The average payment per hectare of utilised agricultural land amounted to 616 EUR (on basis of area-related measures; single farm payments, animal premiums, agri-environmental measures and compensatory allowance for less-favoured areas).

Mountain farms received on average 743 EUR and organic farms reached 742 EUR per UAA. In 2013 2,968 million EUR were paid for the social security of farm families.

• 72 % pension assurance • 17 % health insurance• 11 % accident insurance and care allowance

The number of persons insured with pension insurance was 148,666 in 2013. The average old-age pension amounted to 750 Euros. It should be remarked, that less than 50 % of farmers in Austria achieve their income only directly from farm management (including the subsidies). More than 30 % of the total income concerns from employed work. Therefore it is important to have job possibilities in the non-agricultural sector close to the farms.

Implementation of CAP until 2020The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy until 2020 was adopted in June 2013. The national implementation has taken place with the Amend-ment to the Market Organisation Act 2007. The entry into force of the CAP package will take place in 2015. Thus there will be a transitional year 2014. With the reform farmers are granted for the first time apart from a new architecture of the direct payment scheme with the greening for the first time 30 % of the direct payments ex-clusively for certain ecological services rendered by the farmers.

With the ”Small farmers scheme“ a simplified

Figure 1: In the new Austrian Environmental Programme (ÖPUL 2015-2020) horse mowing will be funded as a tra-ditional management method for protected areas.

The Austrian Agricultural Sector