Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case
One of the factors threatening the sustainability of rural territories is the hegemonic agro-industrial model, whose environmental and social impacts strongly limit rural life. Here, we want to call attention to the opportunities provided by alternative agri-food systems, based on agroecology and fo...
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doaj-4cf13b8c9ece4ad2948a43fd53e7ff0c2021-06-01T01:24:50ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502021-05-01136068606810.3390/su13116068Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish CaseJosep Espluga-Trenc0Laura Calvet-Mir1Daniel López-García2Marina Di Masso3Ariadna Pomar4Guillem Tendero5Institut de Govern i Polítiques Públiques, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainInstitut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainFundación Entretantos, 47014 Valladolid, SpainChair Agroecology and Food Systems, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, SpainArran de Terra SCCL, 08011 Barcelona, SpainArran de Terra SCCL, 08011 Barcelona, SpainOne of the factors threatening the sustainability of rural territories is the hegemonic agro-industrial model, whose environmental and social impacts strongly limit rural life. Here, we want to call attention to the opportunities provided by alternative agri-food systems, based on agroecology and food sovereignty, as a cultural heritage to support sustainable local development. We have carried out exploratory research to draft the main agroecological initiatives in Spain, particularly those having explicit support or encouragement from public administrations. An on-line questionnaire (<i>n</i> = 40) was delivered, and in-depth interviews (<i>n</i> = 15) were carried out among a sample of people working in the Spanish agroecology sector (public and private). The results demonstrate how the recovery and promotion of traditional ecological knowledge can help to increase the capacity of the social-ecological systems to cope with shocks and disturbances and maintain long-term resilience. In addition, agroecological practices allow collective identities to emerge around the characteristics of the territory strengthening local life, placing the society-ecosystem coevolution at the center of local identity. In conclusion, although still a minority, we have showed how several types of policies conceiving agroecological practices as an intangible collective heritage, with significant transformative potential towards local sustainability, have already been implemented.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6068agroecologytraditional ecological knowledgesocial identitiesrural life |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Josep Espluga-Trenc Laura Calvet-Mir Daniel López-García Marina Di Masso Ariadna Pomar Guillem Tendero |
spellingShingle |
Josep Espluga-Trenc Laura Calvet-Mir Daniel López-García Marina Di Masso Ariadna Pomar Guillem Tendero Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case Sustainability agroecology traditional ecological knowledge social identities rural life |
author_facet |
Josep Espluga-Trenc Laura Calvet-Mir Daniel López-García Marina Di Masso Ariadna Pomar Guillem Tendero |
author_sort |
Josep Espluga-Trenc |
title |
Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case |
title_short |
Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case |
title_full |
Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case |
title_fullStr |
Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case |
title_full_unstemmed |
Local Agri-Food Systems as a Cultural Heritage Strategy to Recover the Sustainability of Local Communities. Insights from the Spanish Case |
title_sort |
local agri-food systems as a cultural heritage strategy to recover the sustainability of local communities. insights from the spanish case |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sustainability |
issn |
2071-1050 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
One of the factors threatening the sustainability of rural territories is the hegemonic agro-industrial model, whose environmental and social impacts strongly limit rural life. Here, we want to call attention to the opportunities provided by alternative agri-food systems, based on agroecology and food sovereignty, as a cultural heritage to support sustainable local development. We have carried out exploratory research to draft the main agroecological initiatives in Spain, particularly those having explicit support or encouragement from public administrations. An on-line questionnaire (<i>n</i> = 40) was delivered, and in-depth interviews (<i>n</i> = 15) were carried out among a sample of people working in the Spanish agroecology sector (public and private). The results demonstrate how the recovery and promotion of traditional ecological knowledge can help to increase the capacity of the social-ecological systems to cope with shocks and disturbances and maintain long-term resilience. In addition, agroecological practices allow collective identities to emerge around the characteristics of the territory strengthening local life, placing the society-ecosystem coevolution at the center of local identity. In conclusion, although still a minority, we have showed how several types of policies conceiving agroecological practices as an intangible collective heritage, with significant transformative potential towards local sustainability, have already been implemented. |
topic |
agroecology traditional ecological knowledge social identities rural life |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6068 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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