For more efficient realization of the National Plan of Development and the strategy of equalizing regional needs of rural areas and agriculture it is necessary to develop applied research on changes in the infrastructure and multifunctional character of rural areas. It is necessary to update and develop new methodologies and methods of horizontal and vertical comparisons of the studied space objects, i.e. villages, communes or regions (counties) in a selected region (province) or macro region of Poland. A comparative assessment has been suggested with a division into:- characteristics of studied objects (e.g. communes),- their structural development,- multifunctional character of the studied rural area.Proposed characteristics of researched objects (communes) should by based on an assessment of at least 10 factors pertaining to the area (total area, forest, arable area, permanent grasslands and soil quality) and rural dwellers, their households connected and unconnected with farms.A hitherto development of commune technical infrastructure can be determined using 10 factors, the parameters of which may be assessed by percentage numbers (%) in relation to the number of households per commune.Characterizing of commune multifunctional character may be established according to jobs and employment structure or sources of income of the inhabitants. It was suggested to consider 15 sources of ...
Some results of analyses and forecast studies conducted by IBMER on development of sustainable agricultural production integrated with multifunctional development and protection of rural areas were presented in the paper. Good quality plant and animal production must be intensified on decreasing arable lands (AL) with changing structure of material, energy and production service outlays to make possible leaving the agricultural and rural development to the next generation in a better condition than now. Quantitative and substitute changes in man power expenditure, material and investment outlays and in direct energy carrier expenditure in agriculture and its infrastructure influence not only the level of unit production costs of agricultural raw materials for foodstuff manufacturing, but also affect the progress of rural multifunctionality and the rate of implementation of agro-environmental programmes. Using the methodology of research, updated by the IBMER, on the current state and forecasts concerning cumulated material and energy expenditure computed by the rolling costs method we find that: – unit energy consumption in agricultural production calculated by the number of energy units (EU) per assumed corn unit (CU) decreases systematically and will further decline owing to rationalization of employment and the use of agrochemicals, utilization of durable means and reducing ...
The article presents some results of investigations and prognostic studies of the Institute of Buildings Mechanization and Electrification of Agriculture (IBMER) on the future model of agriculture and agricultural engineering resulting from Common Agricultural Policy implementation and pro-ecological effect on the multifunctional development of agriculture and rural areas. Initiated process of technological modernization of developing family farms and large commodity farms is associated with promoted transfer from traditional and intensive systems of agricultural production to sustainable, organic and precision systems of agriculture. A systematic influence of the scientific progress on the effectiveness of plant and animal production was observed as constantly diminishing family commodity farms. Further technological progress, diminishing of accumulated energy consumption and unit agricultural production costs will stimulate development of about 400 thous farms and producer groups able to compete on food markets. It was also found that considering the agricultural production sustainability, integrated by the multifunctional rural development, energy saving and environmental protection in rural areas, science and technology face increasingly serious tasks. These among other include judging and harmonizing interests of agri- and food producers with ecological requirements connected with soil, water, air, forest and other environment protection. It must be decided whether agrochemicals should be ...
The current situation and predicted socio-economic, technological and ecological changes, which under the influence of scientific progress, implemented Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and globalied food markets will happen in Polish agriculture and its infrastructure by 2030 are presented in the paper. Owing to the progressive integration with the economy and markets of the European Union (EU), further intensified polarization processes and modernisation of farms is perceived accompanied by restructuring of agriculture, agri-food processing industries, production services, rural supply chains and the other infrastructure in rural areas. The future model of agriculture and agrotechnology is shaping, which is characterized by arable area (AL) diminishing to 12M ha, a decreasing number of family commercial farms and smaller agricultural holdings to 400 thousand, diminishing livestock population and number of farms specializing in commercial production of milk, meat, eggs but also sugar beets, potatoes, vegetable and fruit. Crop yield and animal productivity will increase, so despite diminishing AL and livestock population, both the global production and final output of Polish agriculture will be growing annually by between 0.5 and 1.0%. Quantitative and qualitative increase in plant and livestock production will be taking place accompanied by farms and agricultural enterprises switching to the system of ...
The paper presents some results of Author’s own studies and field research, as well the model research conducted by IMBER on agricultural holdings transformation from extensive and intensive conventional organization of production to sustainable systems of agricultural production integrated with the rural environment. Such evolutional restructuring will involve almost all commercial farms covered by the obligations stated in the European Union Directives and requirements of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The main objective of the organizational, technological and ecological transformations in the activities of development agricultural holdings remains and will remain obtaining increasingly safer (healthy) raw materials and food products under conditions of better energy and the environment saving in rural areas. The development of organic agricultural production, i.e. conducted without the use of any agrochemicals, was viewed critically. A necessity for practical utilisation of the latest achievements of agrochemical industry and biological progress, including genetically modified organisms (GMO) was indicated. It was recommended that a precise, sustainable production should be developed using organic methods and modern technical means. The standards and methods of checking the supply of safe food to the market were assessed. It was found that not all parameters applied for certification of agricultural raw materials and ...
Presented were the results of prognostic studies conducted by the Author on the necessary development of agricultural infrastructure against the back-ground of the future model of agriculture and its services until 2030. The level of agricultural infrastructure must be integrated with the level of rural infrastructure which is connected with the infrastructure of the whole country. The infrastructure should meet the requirements resulting from the current scientific progress and the future needs of farmer and rural populations. The development of agricultural in-frastructure will bring measurable results in the spheres of production, energy, economics, ecology, as well as social effects. Infrastructural investments in water economy of Poland, in rural areas and in agriculture were considered the most difficult for realization but at the same time the most needed ones. Investments in the construction of sewerage and sew-age disposal systems in the country, outlays on road and electricity lines and in-vestments in commodity turnover, services, advisory and informatization have been considered in the next place. Modernization and development of internal infrastructure of agricultural commodity farms are becoming increasingly important. A major part of necessary outlays on internal infrastructure and the devel-opment of local infrastructure will originate from payments, donations and credits from ...
Described were IBMER (Institute for Buildings Mechanization and Electrificationof Agriculture (IBMER)) activities aimed at the development and verificationof research procedures used for the assessment of commercial family farmactivities and for evaluation of progress in their technological and ecological modernization.Current assessment of agricultural farm activities has been conducted usingan appropriate IBMER procedure [Wójcicki 2008], which comprises tables forparametric (numerical) description of commercial farm equipment and activitiesin 2008.Development family farm is modernized on the basis of the project of itsorganization and mechanization in the nearest 5-7 years (e.g. until 2015). Suchproject may be developed using new IBMER technological and balance sheet procedure(methods), which has been currently (2009) elaborated and verified.A comparison of the recent activities with the accepted organizational projectallows to determine the level of progress in the sphere of technical and ecologicalmodernization of the analysed farm and its infrastructure.Both research procedures contain a number of common methodical bases,the part of which was synthetically compiled in tables concerning the assessmentof modernization of a sample farm with farm area 40 ha AL, specializing in potato,milk and beef cattle production. ...
Presented were some research results and forecasts concerning directions of organizational and technical transformations occurring in agriculture and its infrastructure.The main aim of transformations in agricultural enterprises will be acquisi-tion of increasingly safer (healthier) raw materials and food products under con-ditions of better energy and environment efficiency in rural areas. Energy effi-ciency implies decreasing unit material and energy outlays and manpower, therefore decreasing the costs of own products supplied to the market at the prices satisfactory for both producers and consumers.Competitive rivalry on the world food markets decreases and will decrease the number of Polish commodity farms. In the perspective of 15-20 years there will be about 300 thous. of those and they will supply almost all marketable agri-cultural output for processing or directly to the market. All family commodity farms will have to modernize and develop their production on the basis of pre-pared business plan, i.e. a project of equipment, mechanization and investment on farm. Each farm will be able to assess the needs and potential concerning its ad-justment to the requirements posed to future family agricultural enterprises.The paper presents the methodology of farm modernization using techno-logical cards and the way of assessment of investment potential of modernized ...
Presented were the results of studies on energy demand in Poland with par-ticular regard to the use of renewable energy resources (RER).It was stated that the results of renewable energy use have been overesti-mated, particularly concerning biomass burning and its effect on greenhouse gas emission. Biofuels emit more carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of generated energy than conventional fuels, including coal. It is impossible to assume a "zero" emis-sion of CO2 forming during biomass burning.We will be unable to fulfill by 2020 our obligations towards the European Union (EU) concerning energy saving, greenhouse gas emission and increasing the share of RER in national energy balance in Poland.Intensive increase in the use of solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels may threaten forestry and agricultural economy in Poland as well as necessary protec-tion of soil, water and air in rural areas. Decreasing greenhouse gas emission will require capital consuming investments in nuclear power stations, hydro-electric power plants and wind turbines, as well as in solar and geothermal facilities. In-terdisciplinary basic and development research are necessary in the area of the effect of energy transformations on the shaping and protection of rural environ-ment. ...
A forecast of socio-economic changes in agricultural holdings and sustain-able agriculture until 2030 was presented against the background of necessary energy and ecological changes occurring in rural areas and in the whole Poland.Results of Agricultural Census of 2010 (PSR'10) and initial results of Na-tional Census (GUS) of 2011 were used to determine the trends of changes in rural areas and in agriculture. It was forecasted that by 2030 about 39% of the population of Poland will live in rural areas constituting 33.0% of individual households. Farmer population in agricultural holdings over 1.0 ha AL will con-stitute 13.3% of rural communities and 5.2% of the whole country population. There will be about 530 thousand commodity farms (agricultural enterprises) which will supply to the market almost all commercial output of food raw materials. Introducing sustainable production and new technologies based on modern machinery aggregates will diminish unit labour and energy outlays, simultaneously contributing to an improvement of ecological requirements for soil, water, air, plants animals and human protection in rural areas. Agriculture will reduce methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission to the atmosphere, among oth-ers through increased use of renewable energy sources (RES). A critical and re-served attitude should be adopted ...
The paper presents the results of analyses of economic and investment activities conducted on 53 selected family farms in 2009 and 2010. Obtained results were compared with the respective data assumed in the projects of these farms modernization until 2015.The analyses were conducted to determine the needs and investment possibilities of the studied farms and seek the method of an assessment of investment activity pursued by individual family farms.Farms with an area of between 8 and 150 ha AL (arable lands) were investigated in 2009-2011. Average area of the researched objects was 44.23ha AL in 2009, 45.88ha AL in 2010,whereas in 2015 it will be 49.49ha AL, i.e. it will increase by 11.9%.It was found that with growing farm area the reconstruction needs decrease (depreciation), whereas possibilities of investment activity for development grow. Also potential investment possibilities of farms were estimated and the difference between the real family incomes and the incomes comparable with non-farmer families were added to the incurred investment expenditure.In 2009 average unit reconstruction investment needs were 1140 zł ∙ha-1AL, incurred investment expenditure was 1930 zł ∙ha-1AL , whereas potential investment possibilities were estimated at 3391 zł ∙ha-1AL.Respectively, in 2010 average unit investment needs were 1106 ...
