RESEARCH ON THE CHANGES IN ORGANIC FARMS IN LITHUANIA

Abstract

Organic farming in the European Union (EU) is a key priority aimed at ensuring sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation. This study analyses the territorial dynamics of organic farms across Lithuanian municipalities during 2019–2024 and evaluates the implementation of Common Agricultural Policy measures supporting the sector. The research applies document and statistical data analysis, spatial, comparative, and generalisation methods. The results show that the highest concentration of organic farms was observed in Biržai, Ukmergė, Trakai, and Telšiai municipalities, while the lowest was found in Pasvalys, Pakruojis, and Joniškis. The smallest declared organic areas remained in northern Lithuania, whereas the largest were concentrated in Biržai, Ukmergė, Švenčionys, Trakai, and Anykščiai districts. The analysis of the 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme indicates that support was primarily focused on the ‘Organic Farming’ measure, complemented by investments and compensatory payments. These findings highlight the spatial disparities of organic farming development and the dominant role of direct and investment-based support measures.