Land management patterns in Latvia and its regions

Efficient land use plays an important role in the context of sustainable agricultural development. Assuming that it will be viable only in cases when individuals employed in agriculture can ensure themselves an income equivalent and not less than the average wage in the national economy. Certain sizes of agricultural area, which are different for every key agricultural sector, are required to achieve it. The present research analyses the minimum land area needed in field crop, dairy and grazing livestock farming in Latvia and its regions depending on land quality and the amount of support payments received. The research sets the following aim: to identify the minimum areas needed in agriculture in Latvia in order to ensure sustainable farm management depending on land quality and, in the regions, the amount of support payments received. A minimum land area for sustainable farm management in Latvia per individual varies from 48.3 ha in dairy farming to 65.5 ha in field crop farming. However, there are major differences depending on land quality and in the amount of support payments received.