Agriculture

Abstract

Analysis and evaluation of agricultural land use is a key factor in assessing agricultural water demand. Interactions between agriculture and water include groundwater recharge, water withdrawal and impact on water quality. In the Upper Danube drainage basin, agriculture plays a key role. Data available at district level served as basis for calculations of an agroeconomic model and was downscaled by using a specially developed tool to deliver results with a higher spatial resolution and to produce a more detailed picture of agricultural production. The results indicate that the study area involves a great diversity in agricultural landscapes. Grassland dominates in the Alpine region as well as in the Alpine foothills, where dairy farming predominates. In the Tertiary Hills region, arable land dominates and pig farming is widespread. Along the Isar River from Munich to Passau, there is very intensive arable cropping and pig farming. In the Eastern Bavarian Uplands along the border with the Czech Republic, farming with cattle production is less specialised than in the Alpine region.