1887

Farmland Conversion

The Spatial Dimension of Agricultural and Land Use Policies

image of Farmland Conversion

Land is a key input into agricultural production and the agricultural sector remains the main user of rural land in most OECD countries. How land is managed in agriculture, and the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses, are likely to have implications not only for the provision of food, but also for the supply of public goods such as rural amenities, as well as for the quantity and quality of water. Changes in agricultural, agri-environmental, land-use, and regional policies – together with factors such as climate and demographic changes – increasingly affect land use and management choices. This report examines the impact of several policies on farmland conversion using a combination of economic analysis and empirical case studies.

English

Executive summary

Agricultural policies in OECD countries are in the process of evolution and there has been a shift away from production-linked support, towards various types of payments, which are frequently linked to land use. In many OECD countries, this shift in agricultural policies is intended – to an increasing extent – to be a vehicle for contributing to the economic and social revitalisation of rural areas – and not solely a means of maintaining farm incomes. Nevertheless, the sector-specificity of these policies − and their economic cost − have raised questions about their effectiveness in addressing non-agricultural objectives, including rural development.

English

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