The increasing interest in bio-districts is part of the debate on the capacity to integrate agri-food systems and territory in order to improve the quality of life in rural communities. Considering the goals of developing and promoting an innovative territorial rural development approach, the bio-district can become a process toward a more sustainable model represented by the agroecological agriculture system. The paper presents a case study of the Parma bio-district through the approach of a Localized Agri Food System (LAFS) to verify whether bio-districts can be a tool for scaling up towards agroecology. Stakeholder classification and analysis are conducted using an influence-interest matrix. We identified four groups of stakeholders in relation to their interests and power to influence the process. In the case of the Parma bio-district the role of local institutions in dialogue with consumers and producers' associations is crucial for success. We conclude that bio-districts can be a tool for a scaling-up towards agroecology since they can facilitate a synergetic relation between organic and agroecological agriculture, spreading organic agriculture more widely around the local area. However, the involvement of a wide variety of different stakeholders means that governance is a key element in facilitating "cross fertilization" and preventing the process from becoming purely formulaic.

A methodological approach to upscale toward an agroecology system in EU-LAFSs: The case of the parma bio-district / Guareschi, M.; Maccari, M.; Sciurano, J. P.; Arfini, F.; Pronti, A.. - In: SUSTAINABILITY. - ISSN 2071-1050. - 12:13(2020), p. 5398. [10.3390/su12135398]

A methodological approach to upscale toward an agroecology system in EU-LAFSs: The case of the parma bio-district

Maccari M.
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Arfini F.
Conceptualization
;
Pronti A.
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
2020-01-01

Abstract

The increasing interest in bio-districts is part of the debate on the capacity to integrate agri-food systems and territory in order to improve the quality of life in rural communities. Considering the goals of developing and promoting an innovative territorial rural development approach, the bio-district can become a process toward a more sustainable model represented by the agroecological agriculture system. The paper presents a case study of the Parma bio-district through the approach of a Localized Agri Food System (LAFS) to verify whether bio-districts can be a tool for scaling up towards agroecology. Stakeholder classification and analysis are conducted using an influence-interest matrix. We identified four groups of stakeholders in relation to their interests and power to influence the process. In the case of the Parma bio-district the role of local institutions in dialogue with consumers and producers' associations is crucial for success. We conclude that bio-districts can be a tool for a scaling-up towards agroecology since they can facilitate a synergetic relation between organic and agroecological agriculture, spreading organic agriculture more widely around the local area. However, the involvement of a wide variety of different stakeholders means that governance is a key element in facilitating "cross fertilization" and preventing the process from becoming purely formulaic.
2020
A methodological approach to upscale toward an agroecology system in EU-LAFSs: The case of the parma bio-district / Guareschi, M.; Maccari, M.; Sciurano, J. P.; Arfini, F.; Pronti, A.. - In: SUSTAINABILITY. - ISSN 2071-1050. - 12:13(2020), p. 5398. [10.3390/su12135398]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/2887963
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