EN
Against the background of consideration on the necessity of multifunctional utilization of the resources, the paper indicated main functions of agricultural areas: economic, ecological, demographical and cultural, including their particular components. It was shown that the agriculture, apart from its functions executed so far, such as production of foods and raw materials for the industry, should undertake and realize some new functions connected e.g. with environmental protection, shaping of rural landscape, production of renewable energy. And the farmer ought to be not only a producer, but also a manager of the resources. Basic strategic development objects for Małopolska region were pointed out; within these frames the important directions of activity were traced to acheve the full economic activation of the region.