Traditional agricultural landscapes in Uskopaljska valley (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Abstract

This article discusses changing trends in agricultural land use in Uskopaljska valley. Quite a large number of agricultural land exploitation orientations indicate that the geographical benefits for the development of certain types of agricultural production are very different. Detailed analysis of the exploitation orientations of land use leads to the opinion that they are determined mainly by social movements. The depopulation areas are numerous in the periphery of Uskopaljska valley, resulting in abandonment of agricultural land and an increase in unused areas. Large extensive production areas were abandoned after 1991, leaving uncultivated ploughlands and grass cover to be used occasionally by herders. In 2018, there were only 7.4 acres of ploughlands, I–IV class quality, per person that were mainly being cultivated, which was not enough to ensure sufficient food production. According to the analysis of available data and based on the practices, and among others a survey among the farmers, the general perception of basic conditions and main problems of agricultural land use and agricultural development is revealed.

Keywords

• land use
• depopulation
• agricultural development
• perception
• agricultural geography