Country report on the present environmental situation in agriculture

Due to unfavourable economic conditions in a whole economy, and because of inferior economic position of a greater part of producers for a longer time, Croatian agriculture has been rather insignificant polluter for the environment. Family farms in particular, having a greater part of agricultural resources, have used less of potentially harmful inputs in agriculture. On the other hand, undeveloped ecological sense and unsatisfactory professional support to the producers caused in rural areas an inadequate use of inputs, and unorganized deposition of waste and by-products of agricultural production. Rational managing of waste and harmful stuffs is commonly, legalized practice in agricultural companies, but on a greater part of family farms in rural area there was no attention paid to this problem in a past period. Today there is institutional and legal framework established in Croatia for regular monitoring and control of the influences of all important factors affecting the environment. The agricultural production is pointed out as one of smaller, but also considerable factors, affecting the environment by using potentially harmful inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, manure), and by its by-products and waste. Considerably higher pressure of agriculture to the environment is expected in the future, due to increased need for intensifying agricultural production as one of basic economic activities in Croatia. The most rapid production growth in conventional agriculture should be achieved through increased use of fertilizers and pesticides. There is a plan for the next decade to reach the level of current consumption of these inputs in developed countries. According to predicted agricultural development, and requests for environmental protection, the use of these inputs has to be rational and controlled. There is also a need for developing the concept of sustainable agriculture through its basic elements – sustainable land management, and integrated pest management.