The Rural Landscapes and Small-Scale Agricultural Practices in the Transylvanian Plain
Nicolae BACIU*1, Cristian MALOŞ1, Gheorghe ROŞIAN1, Mircea MUREŞIANU2, Eduard SCHUSTER2, Andras BARTA2, Carmen STĂNESCU3, Octavian-Liviu MUNTEAN1, Radu MIHĂIESCU1
* Corresponding author
1 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Environmental Science, Cluj-Napoca, ROMANIA
2 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, Bistriţa Branch, ROMANIA
3 “Iuliu Haţieganu” School, Cluj-Napoca, ROMANIA
E-mail: nicolae.baciu@ubbcluj.ro, crism2807@yahoo.com, georgerosian@yahoo.com, mmuresianu@geografie.ubbcluj.ro, eduard_schuster@yahoo.de, andras_barta@yahoo.com, carmen22stanescu@yahoo.com, liviumuntean@yahoo.com, radumihaescu@yahoo.com
Pages: 63-68. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva1_2010/09JSSP012010.pdf
Cite: Baciu N., Maloş C., Roşian G., Mureşianu M., Schuster E., Barta A., Stănescu C., Muntean O.-L., Mihăiescu R. (2010), The Rural Landscapes and Small-Scale Agricultural Practices in the Transylvanian Plain. Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, 1(1), 63-68. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva1_2010/09JSSP012010.pdf
Abstract. This paper is focused on the relationships between small-scale agricultural practices and cultural landscape of Transylvanian Plain. The geographical position of Transylvanian Plain in central part of Romania shows with relevance its favourability for sustainable agriculture and developing assumptions. Despite of this, the region was kept outside of the major infrastructural and economic trends. We could, also, include the Transylvanian Plain into a typical rural “central isolation space” relating on this historical-political tendencies, concluding on different types of rural and agricultural landscapes. In this context, small-scale agriculture practices are alternatives to factory farming or more broadly, intensive agriculture or unsustainable farming methods. Sustainable agriculture is not only a package of prescribed methods but is a pre-requisite for territorial development of rural areas. Small scale agriculture include a number of sustainable farm practices such as: organic farming, which removes all chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer from agriculture; permaculture, which provides a holistic methodology for farm design; arable land use that is used for growing crops; non-arable land use; pastoral land use etc. Generally speaking, the small-scale agricultural practices are oriented to: produce enough food; produce safe food; take care of the environment; build thriving and strong rural communities.
K e y w o r d s: rural landscape, small-scale agricultural practices, GIS, Transylvanian Plain