Analysis of Main Characteristics and Utilization of Agricultural Land in Serbia and Bulgaria

Land is the most important resource for the sustainable development of agriculture. Optimal use of land for the production of a sufficient amount of food, while simultaneously preserving biodiversity and its quality, is very important within the policy of preserving resources for future generations. Safety in food production represent one of the most important goals of sustainable development consist in actual the 2030 Agenda. We face numerous problems related to land. Degradation due to excessive use of modern agrotechnical means in food production, deforestation, erosion, excessive urbanization, floods are just some of the most common problems in land policy. An important problem is the abandonment of land use for agricultural production and its underutilization. Serbia and Bulgaria have significant areas of agricultural land. The subject of research in this paper is the share of agricultural and arable land in the total land area in Serbia and Bulgaria. The focus of the analysis is the average size of farm land, the percentage of irrigated land, and the production structure on farms, as well as the contribution of agriculture to the realization of added value in the creation of GDP. Agriculture and the food industry play a significant role in creating GDP, employment and exports and reducing the foreign deficit. Bearing in mind that the Republic of Serbia is in the process of joining the European Union, it is necessary to reform the agricultural policy and adapt it to the Common Agricultural Policy. This is one of the most important and demanding reforms in the integration policy process. The entire European model of agricultural development is based on the concept of sustainable development. Agricultural land policy in this process is of great importance and the experiences of EU member countries are important. The results of the research should indicate different experiences and recommendations that can be useful in agricultural land management policy. Land policy measures are aimed at creating optimal conditions for agricultural production while achieving the goals of all dimensions of sustainable development. Strategic approach in land management policy in Bulgaria provides guidelines and an example of good practice for taking measures and activities in the direction of its improvement in the Republic of Serbia. These results are also the basis for examining the causes of insufficient utilization of available natural resources and the balanced development that ensures the production of sufficient quantities of food and the preservation of the environment. Keywords: agricultural land, arable land, sustainable development JEL codes: Q15, Q18, Q24