Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
There are some particular mountain policies based on the regional level (referred to
fixed areas and not to statistical regions): Act on Triglav National Park (the Julian
Alps), Law on closure of the coal mines and restructuring of the Zasavje region,
Law on closure of the mercury mine in Idrija, Law on closure of the lead and zinc
mine in Mežica, Act on reconstruction of the Soca Valley after earth quake.
Regarding level of implementation of policies and measures, the principal lev-
els are the ministries and subordinated agencies and municipalities. Some of the
national agencies have regional units with varied geographical divisions, but most
of these divisions are valley-centred. The only structure based on a massif so far
is the Triglav National Park that covers most of the Julian Alps. In the Julian
Alps there also exists a tourist association marketing the massif as a tourist prod-
uct. In the last years, municipalities grouped in 12 statistical regions established
Regional Development Agencies, whose main scope so far has been the prepara-
tion of Regional Development Programmes, and are to be involved in managing
EU-supported projects in the future.
16.2.1 Agriculture
The majority of agriculture in Slovenia is mountain-based. The main products
are milk and meat in hilly areas and wine and fruit in the south-west and east.
Family farms are prevailing with the average size of 6.3 ha, but are based on vari-
ous landownership patterns (single farms, villages, common ownership of pastures,
etc.). Agricultural activity is usually combined with forestry and employment of one
or several family members in industry or other activities.
After 1990 the process of transition brought land restitution to owners whose
land was nationalised after the Second World War and approximation of agricultural
policy to the EU CAP. The focus of the national policy was to support large family
farms. Also programmes of integrated rural development were introduced as a part
of the agricultural policy. In the 1990s in most of Slovenia small-scale programmes
integrated development of countryside and renovation of villages were made.
Programmes were important since they evaluated development possibilities and
future orientations. They were guided by experts and made in close connections
with local people. Quite a few supplementary activities in less-developed areas
were introduced.
With the accession to the EU Slovenia follows the EU agriculture policy. An
important direction of the policy is environmental and landscape management of
the agriculture. For the implementation of this policy subsidies are one of the most
important measures, also in Slovenia. Subsidies represent up to 50% of income
for the farms with difficult conditions for farming and this income is especially
important for mountain farms.
The number of people employed in farming continues to drop (from 14.2% in
1995 to 10.5% in 2004), as well as the share of agriculture in GDP (from 3.6%
in 1995 to 2.2% in 2004). The number of organic farms is on the slow but steady
increase, from 41 in 1999 to 2000 (2.4% of farms in Slovenia) in 2007.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search