State of diches and their maintence in the context of EU support in Lintuania

eISSN 2464-4781, Agrarian Perspectives SeriesAgricultural drainage ditches are essential for the removai of surface and ground water to allow for crop production in poorly drained agricultural landscapes. There are 63 000 km ofdrainage ditches in Lithuania and 54 o/o of them are in bad state. The state of ditches is worsening every year because of insufficient maintenance and lack of provided frnancing. The aim of the study - to review state of ditches in the different counties of Lithuania, spread of the assimilation of EU support intended for the maintenance of ditches and to determine the main reasons impeding parlicipation of farmers in the measure "Non-profit investments" of Lithuanian Rural Development Programme 200'7-2013. Most agricultural producers improve the drainage on their land for better traffic ability, to enhance field conditions, to facilitate timely planting and harvesting operations, and to help decrease crop damage from saturated soil and standing water during the growing season. The main reason impeding from participation in non-profit investment support programme named by the farmers (31 %) is fear for additional obligations for further 5 YearsVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij