Abstract. This article deals with the disparities between mountain and plane agriculture in Switzerland. A first part shows the causes. It states that beside natural conditions as well the development of the specific technology as well the federal agricultural laws lead to increasing disparities. The consequences are discussed, too. The federal agricultural policy responded with three special laws in favour of the mountain agriculture. The character of these laws are also discussed. The problems are not yet solved, specifically it can be observed, that the smaU villages get smaller and the big are growing.
The article discusses a number of possibilities to diminish the disparities within the Swiss agriculture: these are (a) more efficiency of the already existing measures, (b) incentives for «new» products and (c) measures, which lead to conditions, that small farms could reach a füll economical existence. This again would increase the number of families in the small mountain villages. Results of planning and field studies are presented.