TREE CROPS CULTIVATION. A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOUNTAINOUS, LESS FAVOURED AREAS

摘要

The aim of the paper is to examine the contribution of tree crops to the sustainable development of mountainous less favoured areas. The concept of sustainable development dominates research in the last decades. Mountainous, less favoured areas, have a great importance for Greece, constituting a significant part of the country. The study area is a typical mountainous less favoured area of Northern Greece, Pierion Municipality, where during the past years the local residents have turned to tree crops as an alternative to the declining tobacco cultivation. Data on cultivations were retrieved from Hellenic Statistical Authority, meteorological data were collected from meteorological stations nearby study area and maps of the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration provided geological data. Thematic maps were produced with the use of GIS in order to point out the most sustainable cultivation for each area. The contribution of tree crops to the sustainable development is examined for all three pillars of sustainability: economic growth, environmental protection and social equity, in comparison with tobacco cultivation. Tobacco cultivation is unsustainable according to the spirit of the Brundtland report since it is water intensive, labor intensive and causes environment pollution due to the overuse of fertilisers. Tree crops are much more sustainable compared to tobacco, being more environmental friendly as they contribute to water management, protection from soil erosion, production of oxygen and restraint of carbon dioxide and dust. Moreover, they can contribute to income maintenance and create motives for the local population to remain in the area.