SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF BALTIC AGRICULTURE - RUSSIA

An overview of natural conditions and socioeconomic factors of the con temporary development of agriculture in the Baltic region of Russia is presented. Special attention is paid to the critical situation in agr iculture and its economic, demographic and ecological consequences. Be cause of different circumstances and specific priorities in the region al policy of the Federal Government, rural areas in the Baltic region have suffered a drastic decline in population and agricultural product ion. In spite of the removal of former agricultural lands from usage, spontaneous ecodevelopment in the region can not be considered as only positive. Optimization of land use with a precise indication of the g eographical address for the policy recommendations is needed for the d evelopment of agriculture. Recommendations and concrete project propos als are proposed based on the territorial differences in the current t ypes of agriculture.