Dynamics of agro-environmental indicators at the level of Romania in the period 2014-2023

Abstract

The agricultural sector is the main user of natural resources, with agricultural production generating negative environmental impact and problems, both inside and outside the agricultural holdings. This situation increases the sensitivity of agriculture to risks that can cause serious economic losses. Considering the environmental problems facing the agricultural sector today, it is necessary to study the impact of agricultural activities on the environment, through an analysis of agro-environmental indicators. Over the past 20 years, numerous agri-environmental indicators have been developed by agronomist engineers, ecologists and economists to assess the impact of agricultural practices on the environment and to monitor the effects of agri-environment policies. This paper aims to present the dynamics of agromedium indicators at the level of Romania in the period 2014-2023, based on the data provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Eight series of indicators were taken into account in this work: the area equipped with irrigation works and the irrigated agricultural area, the area equipped with drainage works, the area equipped with improvement works and combating soil erosion, the area on which fertilizers were applied chemical and natural, the amount of chemical fertilizers by category of fertilizers used in agriculture, the amount of natural fertilizers used in agriculture, the surface on which pesticides were applied, the amount of pesticides applied in agriculture.