OPTIMAL POTATO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS WITH RESPECT TO ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL GOALS

A method is presented for the optimization of arable farming systems that integrate economic and ecological goals. Production systems ranging from low-input to high-input are generated with a computer model by systematic variation of major crop management components. Economic and ecological goals are defined in terms of inputs and outputs of the production systems. Each goal is first optimized separately without restrictions on the other goals. Subsequently each goal is optimized while stepwise increasing restrictions are imposed on the other goals. From this procedure, the exchange value of ecological goals in terms of economic goals is provided. The method can be used to analyse effects of different economic and political environments on goal integration. The farming systems selected with the model serve as a guideline for the introduction of sustainable arable farming systems in practice.