The rational use of land should be ensured, soil-friendly agricultural branches should be developed as well as attractive environment for work, living and resting in the countryside should be created in promoting rural development in Lithuania. Areas with favourable natural conditions have a high degree of economic activity, farm size, and economic development. However, not everywhere the natural conditions for the development of agriculture are favourable. The research was carried out in the Giedraičiai rural area of Molėtai district, which deals with the factors influencing the use of land, the declared area of land, the problem of land abandonment. The methods of legal analysis, analysis of literature, analysis, comparison and aggregation of statistical data were used during the research. After the fulfilment of the analysis of the declared area of land during the period between the years 2012 and 2016, it was established that the area of agricultural land declared during the five years increased by 655 hectares, the number of farmers who declared agricultural land decreased by 104, and the number of declared parcels declined even to 1729. The process of the growing of farms is likely to occur. The area of abandoned land in Giedraičiai subdistrict reaches 300 hectares, the number of abandoned areas exceeds 800. Estimating the statistical data and solutions of the general plan of the Molėtai district area preliminary solutions for the management of the territory of the Giedraičiai subdistrict for agriculture and rural development are being provided, i.e. it is planned to implement rural development land use planning projects for the management of farms, and to select a farmhouse farm site. To reduce the abandoned land areas, it is advisable to plan forests, expand the areas of meadows and natural pastures, apply organic farming and adapt the areas for recreation.
SIG como herramienta de estudio y planificación del uso del suelo en zonas agrícolas [Using GIS for land use planning for rural landscapes]