Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau FiBL, 5070 Frick, Schweiz

ALPIS – concept for a new alpine agricultural information system

The alpine economy is in a state of constant change: regional political developments and environmental concerns are offset by the need for profitability and efficient management. A lack of recent data means that many cantons use the alpine cadastral land register, which is based on surveys carried out in the 1950s to the 1970s, for their decisions. Although these data have long been considered to be inadequate and incomplete, attempts to update the alpine cadastral land register on a national scale have been unsuccessful. A renewed attempt to address this concern has been initiated under the framework of the joint project: AlpFUTUR. During the elaboration of the concept of a renewed Swiss alpine cadastral land register, in the form of an alpine agricultural information system ALPIS, it was found that a total renewal of the register is both possible and desired by representatives of the alpine farmers and the cantonal authorities. The renewal is facilitated by the ongoing implementation of the Geographic Information Law, which will result in the collection and maintenance of a wide range of geographical information. ALPIS will deliver more than just spatial data on the agricultural use of the summer grazing areas and will combine this data with information on the productivity of pastures, land development, product marketing, and or accommodation and catering possibilities. ALPIS thereby contributes to making the performance of the alpine grazing areas more visible.

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