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In the course of the current agrarian reform in Russia a lot 
of private (peasant) farms appeared, their total number 
being now about 280,000. Their contribution to the 
agricultural production, especially in grain production, is 
not large for the moment. However, in some branches, as 
for example in potatoes and vegetables production, it 
becomes significant. About 10 min.ha of the agricultural 
land, including more than 7 min.ha of arable land, belongs 
now to private farms and the area is increasing. The 
average size of private farms is about 50 ha, among them 
more than 90% is agricultural land and 70% is arable land. 
Agricultural land of all users in Russia makes up 220 
min.ha. The structure of agricultural land use is given in 
Table 2. Among the agricultural land arable land occupies 
about 130 min.ha (60%). The remainder is mostly under 
hayfields and pastures (37%). The main component in the 
agricultural production is cereals production. It occupies an 
area of 56 min ha, i.e. about 44% of the total arable land. 
The main crops for cereal production are wheat, barley, rye 
and oats. Most of the area (more than 75%) is occupied by 
spring cereals. Winter wheat areas are only 13% of all 
cereals land, but they are very important due to their 
contribution to the grain production (more than 25%). 
Table 2. Structure of agricultural land use in the Russian 
Federation (1996): areas in min. ha. 
  
  
  
all land private 
users farms 
Agricultural land 209.2 10.1 
- arable land 128.5 7.3 
- hayfields and pastures 77.8 2.8 
Area under crops 105.2 54 
- cereals 56.3 38 
winter crops 12.0 
winter wheat 7.75 
spring crops 44.3 
spring wheat 14.4 
- industrial crops 5.3 
- potatoes 33 0.4 
- vegetables 0.7 0.2 
- fodder crops 39.6 0.7 
4. KURSK TEST AREA 
The Kursk region is situated in the central part of the 
Middle-Russian Hills and by its natural conditions it 
belongs to the subzone of the northern forest-steppe with 
typical and leached chernozems. 
Two natural/agricultural zones are distinguished according 
to the complex of natural factors on the territory of the 
Kursk region: 
the first is a north-west one: forest-steppe, hilly, 
loamy, with gray forest soils; 
the second is a south-east one: forest-steppe, hilly, 
loamy, with prevailed leached and typical 
chernozems. | 
The Kursk test site (Medvensky rayon) is situated in the 
“second zone. The site belongs to the arid territory according 
to conditions of humidity. Annual rainfall is about 500-600 
mm, and in the period of active vegetation growth it is 
about 260-310 mm. Most rainfall is during the first half of 
the summer with often heavy showers. During the 
vegetation period, winter wheat needs about 330 mm water, 
spring wheat needs about 335-360 mm. Actual water 
resources (including soil moisture supply) make up 270- 
360 mm and provide water demand for 85-1004. 
The land surface of the Kursk region is about 3 min.ha. The 
Kursk region is situated in the Central Chernozem 
economic region of Russia, which is favourable for cereal 
cultivation due to soil and climatic conditions. The 
biological productivity is rather high, and the territory is 
well cultivated. 
Agricultural lands occupy about 80% of the region 
territory, arable lands being among them also about 80%. 
The cereals occupy about half of the arable land, and 
usually about 25-30% of the area is under winter crops. 
Winter wheat (19-20%) and spring barley (14-16%) 
prevail. Most of the territory belongs to big collective 
farms, characterized by a rather large field size (75-150 ha). 
Due to agrarian reform a lot of private farms appeared in 
recent years. The hectarage of such private farms is on 
average 50 ha, covering together 116 ths.ha in the region at 
the moment, 75 ths.ha of which are being cultivated. 
A specific feature of the territory are the rather widespread 
erosion processes. The area of eroded agricultural land and 
gullies in the territory of the test site is about 740 ths.ha. A 
high degree of eroded dissection (1.2-1.6 km/km2) is found 
in the northern part. In addition, some biospheric reserves 
with typical steppe grasslands are situated in the territory. 
5. PRELIMINARY RESULTS 
5.1 Land Cover Classification at Level 1 (Continental) 
When studying the RIVM 10 Minutes pan-European Land 
Use data base for the region around Moscow and 
southwards passing Kursk, it can be observed that arable 
land is the dominant land cover type. Moreover, the RIVM 
database is largely based on statistical data which have a 
low geographic accuracy. So, this information is not 
detailed and not accurate enough for monitoring 
agricultural land use in Russia. 
The same conclusion can be drawn for the PELCOM base 
(reference) map, although forested areas are mapped much 
better because of the including of the ESA Digital Forest 
Map of Europe (Fig. 2). 
Intemational Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXII, Part 7, Budapest, 1998 99