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Eco-Social Agriculture for Social Transformation and Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study of the UPAS-Project

Author

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  • Sara Nicli

    (Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università, 5-39100 Bolzano, Italy)

  • Susanne Ursula Elsen

    (Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Via S. Croce, 7-39042 Bressanone, Italy)

  • Armin Bernhard

    (Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Via S. Croce, 7-39042 Bressanone, Italy)

Abstract

Rural areas are facing vulnerabilities and changes caused by negative social, economic and ecological externalities resulting from industrial agriculture systems. Locally embedded farms and bottom-linked approaches such as social cooperatives that act in the field of social agriculture are small, but valuable models to counteract these trends. This article is based on a case study conducted within the transdisciplinary research and development project Unlocking the Potential of Social Agriculture (UPAS), 2017–2020—financed by the Free University of Bolzano. The main focus of the case study is to determine the impact of social agriculture initiatives on social and healthcare systems, the natural environment and the communities in which they act. Data collection includes a literature review, observations and interviews carried out on 35 case studies of social agriculture initiatives, mainly located in Italy. The field research points out that actors in the sector of social agriculture predominantly aim to integrate disadvantaged people socially and in terms of their labor, base their production on organic methods, and that social agriculture has the potential to foster eco-social transformation and development of rural areas by the combination of social and ecological concerns. Thus, we use the term “eco-social” agriculture to describe these approaches. Furthermore, five components of eco-social agriculture have been defined, which, together, offer an ideal set of acting principles, namely: (1) the empowerment and integration of disadvantaged people, (2) the promotion of environmentally friendly agricultural practices, (3) the protection of nature, resources and cultural landscape, (4) support to the local community, and (5) education for sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Sara Nicli & Susanne Ursula Elsen & Armin Bernhard, 2020. "Eco-Social Agriculture for Social Transformation and Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study of the UPAS-Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:14:p:5510-:d:381911
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marina García-Llorente & Cristiano M. Rossignoli & Francesco Di Iacovo & Roberta Moruzzo, 2016. "Social Farming in the Promotion of Social-Ecological Sustainability in Rural and Periurban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Marina García-Llorente & Irene Pérez-Ramírez & Clara Sabán de la Portilla & Carmen Haro & Alejandro Benito, 2019. "Agroecological Strategies for Reactivating the Agrarian Sector: The Case of Agrolab in Madrid," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
    3. David Tilman & Kenneth G. Cassman & Pamela A. Matson & Rosamond Naylor & Stephen Polasky, 2002. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices," Nature, Nature, vol. 418(6898), pages 671-677, August.
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    2. Hans Dagevos & Carolien de Lauwere, 2021. "Circular Business Models and Circular Agriculture: Perceptions and Practices of Dutch Farmers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Fengting Zhang & Yang Lv & Md Nazirul Islam Sarker, 2022. "Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Development Path of Industry–University–Research Cooperation and Economic Vulnerability: Evidence from China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Batara Surya & Syafri Syafri & Hadijah Hadijah & Baharuddin Baharuddin & Andi Tenri Fitriyah & Harry Hardian Sakti, 2020. "Management of Slum-Based Urban Farming and Economic Empowerment of the Community of Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-42, September.

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