CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY ASSESSMENT OF UNUSED AGRICULTURAL LANDS FOR THEIR RECLAMATION

The article is devoted to the problem of selecting and initially assessing unused agricultural land in order to effectively integrate it into economic circulation. A comprehensive approach is proposed, which requires taking into account and analyzing a wide range of indicators that determine the economic feasibility of further use of the land. The indicators of seven main groups of factors and their evaluation criteria are described in detail: agroecological factors (including type, mechanical composition, acidity, humus and nutrient content in the soil, hydrological and hydrogeological, climatic and relief conditions of the area; the technical condition of the sites (cultural, phytosanitary, meliorative); legal factors (ownership and restrictions); social and infrastructural (history and demography of the area, accessibility of road, energy, water management and environmental infrastructure); environmental and economic factors, including potential crop yields, land rents and financial costs of cultivation. Based on the studied indicators and the FAO land evaluation methodology (1976), an original multifactorial model for the primary expert assessment of unused land, PEEL (Primary Expert Evaluation of Agricultural Land), was developed in the Microsoft Excel software environment. The created model consists of a reference module that combines 26 indicators within seven factors, and a calculation module consisting of three interconnected blocks. The model’s algorithm provides a comprehensive approach to analysis: from assessing natural potential to taking socio economic risks into account, ultimately forming a final expert conclusion. The PEEL software product can be used by regional authorities to optimize the land fund, as well as by agricultural producers seeking to minimize risks and initial financial investments when selecting fallow plots for crop production.