ЕCONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR LAND CONSERVATION WITHIN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR AGRIBUSINESS

Abstract

This article examines the legal foundations for providing economic incentives for the rational use and protection of agricultural land in the context of ensuring the sustainable development of agribusiness. From the perspective of historical development, the article highlights the legal prerequisites for the formation of the principle of efficient land use, modern scientific approaches to the problem of restoring soil fertility, and the negative consequences of excessive plowing of land. The article examines the legal nature of the conservation of degraded, low-productivity, and industrially contaminated lands, the rules and procedures for its implementation, and the specifics of providing economic incentives to business entities that implement land conservation measures. It has been argued that the regulatory framework for providing economic incentives for land conservation should be viewed not only as an institution of land law but also as a key element of the legal mechanism ensuring the functioning of agribusiness, since the quality of land resources directly affects the efficiency of economic activity, the competitiveness of agribusiness entities, and the nation’s food security. It has been established that current legislation forms a system of legal incentives and restrictions aimed at reconciling the private interests of landowners and land users with the public interest of society in preserving the land fund and restoring soil fertility. It was concluded that there is a need to further improve the legal framework for providing economic incentives for land conservation as one of the priority areas of legislative activity in the agribusiness sector in the context of European integration, the implementation of the principles of sustainable development, and Ukraine’s postwar recovery. It has been argued that modern agribusiness—as one of the most critical factors in sustaining the state and society—cannot function without the high-tech, environmentally safe, and economically sound use of agricultural land, since land remains the primary means of production in agriculture and a key resource for the operation of agribusiness. At the same time, it is emphasized that the modern model of agribusiness requires a rethinking of traditional approaches to the use of land resources. A focus solely on achieving shortterm economic gains is often accompanied by soil depletion, disruption of the ecologically balanced structure of agricultural land, and a deterioration in its quality. In light of this, it is particularly important to establish an effective legal mechanism to provide economic incentives for agribusiness entities to implement soil conservation measures, restore soil fertility, and conserve degraded and low-productivity lands. It is emphasized that economic incentives should be viewed not only as a tool for implementing state policy in the field of land conservation, but also as a component of the legal framework for the sustainable development of agribusiness, which reconciles the private interests of economic entities with the public interest in preserving Ukraine’s land resources.