Towards a sustainable rural development from syal perspective

WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1682 TOWARDSASUSTAINABLERURALDEVELOPMENTFROMSYAL PERSPECTIVE1 CarmenLozanoaandEncarnaciónAguilarb  aUniversidadNacionaldeEducaciónaDistancia(Spain).[email protected] bUniversidaddeSevilla(Spain).[email protected]   Abstract:ThisarticlewantstogodeeperintothedebateabouttherelationshipbetweenSYALandbiodiversity conservation.Thispaperfocusesonthepotentialof“territorialanchoring”andorganicproductioninthe NaturalProtectedAreas(NPA),definingthemasinstrumentsforthecreationofsustainableruraldevelopment strategies.Wehavethreemainarguments:(1)organicproductionhasbecomethebestwaytoreducepollution fromagriculturalsourcesandpromotebiodiversityinthiskindofterritories;(2)organicagricultureisthe perfectplatformtointegratelocalpopulationintonaturalresourcemanagement;(3)anditisaninteresting strategytoaddvaluetolowprofitableandcompetitivegoods.WewilltakeasreferencethecaseofNatural ParkofSierrasdeCazorla,SegurayLasVillas(Spain)tosupportthesearguments.Wewilldiscussthiscaseof sustainableterritorialdevelopmentusingtheconceptofSYAL. AsaconclusionwecanpointoutthatthiscasehasmanyelementstobeconsideredaLocalizedAgriFood System(SYAL).Variousstrategieshavebeendevelopedcollectivelyrootingforthisactivityandlinkthis certificationinthenaturalandsocio‐culturalcharacteristicsofthisterritory.Ithasencouragedaregional developmentmodelsupportedbyagenericcertificationthroughtheincorporationofthedifferentialvaluesof thecountrysidewheretheyareregisteredandthecreationofanimageassociatedwiththepositive environmentalexternalitiesthatorganicproductiongenerates.Finally,oneofthemainquestionshasbeenthe establishmentofinitiativesbetweenproducersandconsumersbythecreationofshort‐changessupplies  Keywords:LocalizedAgriFoodSystem;OrganicAgriculture;NaturalProtectedAreas;RuralDevelopment; NaturalParkofSierrasdeCazorla,SegurayLasVillas;Spain.  Introduction Itisbecomingmoreevidentthatthereconfigurationoffoodsystemswillbecriticaltoensuringthe economic,environmentalandsocialsustainabilityofoursocieties.Fortoolongthewebthatlinks producers,processors,distributorsandcustomershasbeenoutofthepublicagenda.However, recentincreasesinfoodpricesandthetensionsgeneratedhavehighlightedthegrowingeconomic, environmentalandsocialimportanceoftheagrifoodindustry.Thissituationhasledtonewconcepts, suchassecurity,sovereigntyorfoodcrises(Lang,2010;Ploeg,2010)thatbecomepartofthe geopoliticaldebates.Atthesametime,thereisanincreasingdisconnectionbetweenagricultural productsandfoodsproducts(Langreo,1988),andthedecisionmakingcentrehavebeenchanging fromproducerstoprocessors,andfinallyallocatedintodistributionnetworks.Thisdynamicshavea strongimpactinruraldevelopment,anditcanbenoticedinthecurrentstrugglebetween agriculturalpolicies,territorialmanagementanddevelopmentmodelsimplemented. InEurope,agricultureandfooddisconnectionhascoincidedwiththemarginalitizationofagricultural activitiesinruralareasandthedesignofanewruralspace.Thismodel‐supportedbytheRural DevelopmentPolicy‐hasdevelopedaneconomicdiversificationoftheseareasthroughactivationof forgottenorunderestimatedendogenousresources.Thismodelhavedrawnanewdynamiconthese ruralareasandexplainstheprogressivespecializationtowardshighqualityproductionofgoods, landscapeandnature,aswellasleisureactivities(Ploeg,2000;Marsden,2003).Thisprocess 1Thispaperistheoutcomeofanongoingresearchprojecttitled“Territorio,calidadeinnovación:Eldiseñodelanueva ruralidadeuropea”.I+D(SEJ2007‐63537/SOCI)MinisteriodeEducaciónyCienciayFondosFeder,andfortheResearch Group.TECUDE(P.A.I.SEJ‐418).JuntadeAndalucía. WeappreciatethecontributionsofIgnacioL.Morenoonthefirstversionofthistext. WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1683 coincidedwithachangeinenvironmentalpolicyapproachfrompreviouspositions,whereProtected NaturalAreas(PNA)whereunderstoodassacredredoubtsthatshouldbepreservedinisolation,to newunderstandingsthatredefinethePNAastheoutcomeoftheinteractionamongthelocal population,theterritory,andthesurroundingecosystems. AccordingtoHalffter(1996)andToledo(2005)conservationofnaturalresourcesisclosely associatedwiththepreservationofsocio‐economic,cultural,politicalanddemographicfeaturesof theterritory.Toachievethiskindofobjective,theyrecommendthecreationofbioregionsinorder tokeepaproperbalancebetweenthreefundamentalaxes: 1. Biosocialaxiom:conservationoftheseareasshouldbeassociatedwiththedevelopmentof societiesthatliveinthatenvironment. 2. Bioculturalaxiom:itisimpossibletoraisethepreservationofbiodiversitywithoutregarding conservationofthecultureandviceversa(Toledo,2001). 3. Bioproductiveaxiom:ishighlyrelatedwiththeothertwo‐implementingactivitiestopromote sustainableresourcemanagementtoreachbetterbiodiversityconservation. Ruraldevelopmentstrategiesbasedonhighqualityproduction‐asSYAL(AgrifoodLocalized Systems)‐havebeenprovedasoneofthemostviableforthiscontext.Thisconcept–SYAL‐emerged inthemiddle90stoanalyzethetransformationofruralareas,newdynamicsoffoodsectorandfood consumptions.Itisdefinedas"organizationsandserviceproduction(farms,businessesagro‐business enterprises,restaurants,etc.)associatedwiththespecificterritory´characteristics.Theenvironment, products,thepeople,theirtechniques,theirbehaviour,theirnetworksarecombinedintoanarea producingaspecificfoodformoforganizationinagivenarea"(CIRAD‐SAR,1996;Muchnikand Sautier,1998). Facingtheemergenceofglobalizedformsofproductionandconsumption,thisapproachseeksto strengthenthedevelopmentofintegratedproductionsystemsbasedonlocalnetworksofcompanies andsupportedbyregionalprocessesandinstitutions;creatingstronglinksbetweenthequalityof products,territoriesandinnovation(Requier‐Desjardins,1998).Thisapproachisrelevantforour focus,sincefoodsecurityandenvironmentalprotectionconvergeonthisproblematization,aswellas thedemandsaboutnewmodelsofagriculturalandterritorialapproaches.TheSYALperspective allowsustoanalyzethedirectrelationshipthatfood‐processingindustrieshavewithnatural resourcesandtheimpacttheyhaveontheuseofbiodiversity(Requier‐Desjardins,2007;Muchniket al.,2008),whichreferstothesustainabilityandfutureviabilityofPNA.Thisarticlesuggestsafurther contributiontothisapproach.ItgoesbeyondtheconceptionofaSYALastheconcentrationofrural agro‐industries,tounderstanditasaprocessofterritorialqualificationbasedonthedifferent elementsthatcomposeit(Requier‐Desjardins,2008).Thatis,givingspecialattentiontothose productiveprocessesthatcontributetoaddvaluetoproductsandknow‐how,butalsotosingular naturalresourcesandecosystems.Thisdynamicprovidesspecialattentiontotheconvergence betweenthedifferentspheresofsustainability(economic,social,cultural,institutionaland environmental)inordertoproposenewmodelsofmanagementforterritories. Fromthistheoreticalframework,thepurposeofthispaperis(1)toanalyzethepotentialoforganic productionintheProtectedNaturalAreaslinkingtheprotectionofnaturalresourcesandsocioeconomicstrengthening,(2)toassesswhethertheimplementationoftheseinitiativesofferawayto integratelocalpeopleinmanagingnaturalresources(3)toanalyzewhetherthisstrategywill overcomethereluctanceofpeopletonatureprotectionfigures,oftenperceivedasblocking elementstotheirterritorialdevelopment,(4)todiscussthiscaseofsustainableterritorial developmentusingtheconceptofSYAL.Inordertoillustratethisprocesswehavestudiedthecase oforganicagricultureexperiencewhichhasbeentakingplaceduringthelast20yearsinNaturalPark ofSierrasdeCazorla,SegurayLasVillas.ThisareaisthelargestPNAinSpain,andoneofthefirst andalusianterritorieswheretheenvironmentalprotectionpolicywasimplemented.Thiskindof questionsareconsideredasveryimportantinAndalusia‐thesouthernregionofSpain‐becauseover 20%ofandalusianterritory(1.8millionhectares)andasignificantpercentageoftheandalusian populationareincludedintooneofits153PNA.Thissituationhasgeneratedadebateaboutwhat WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1684 kindofnewmanagementmethodscanbesustainableinanecologicalstandpoint,andconduciveto economicandsocialdevelopment.Inaddition,thisregionisproducing7.175and582.745ha., agricultureandlivestockproduction,whichaccountsfor60%oftheareaandathirdofSpanish certifiedproducers(DirecciónGeneraldeAgriculturaEcológica,2007).Atthesametime,halfofthe AndalusianareacertifiedasorganicislocatedinanyofthePNAintheregion(Consejeríade Medioambiente,2006). Thisresearchusedqualitativemethodology,beingasampleof93interviewsthemainsourceofdata. 10ofthemweremadetokeyinformantsfromtheseareas:technicaldevelopmentagentsand organicfarming,organicproducers,managersoftheindustriesoforganicproducts.30weremadeto thethreekindoforganicproducers:farmers,livestockandpoultryfarmers.Andthe53remaining weremadetoarangeofactorswithdifferentrelationshipwiththisinitiative:entrepreneurs, membersofassociations,conventionalfarmers,localpoliticsandmembersofregional administration.Itsrepresentativenessincompositionhasallowedustoassessthedegreeof knowledgethatlocalpeoplehaveaboutorganicproductionexperiencesdevelopedinthearea,as wellasontheimagetheyhaveoforganicproductionandofthisNaturalPark. Protectandpreserve:impactofenvironmentalpolicyintheNaturalParkofSierras deCazorla,SeguraandLasVillas. Spainwasoneofthefirstcountriestojointhenatureprotectionguidelines,declaringthefirst NationalParksofCovadongaandOrdesain1918.Sincethemid‐80senvironmentalconcernwas incorporatedintothegovernmentagenda,whichinterventionhasgenerateddifferenttypesof protectionobjectswithdifferentobjectives:scientific,recreational,landscapeorpreservation;also withdiversedegreesofprotection.OneofthemostinterestingobjectsistheNaturalPark;ithas acquiredspecialrelevancebecauseitwasdesignedinordertofacilitatetheideaofsocial environment.Withthisobjectivewasestablishedin1986,TheNaturalParkofSierrasdeCazorla, SeguraandLasVillas(NP‐SCSV).Locatedinnorth‐easternsideofAndalucíaintheprovinceofJaen,it hasatotalof209,920hectares(Fig.1).Thisisalargeareadistributedin23municipaldistricts denselypopulated,representedbyatotalof87,744inhabitants.   Figure1.UbicationofNaturalParkofSierrasdeCazorla,SegurayLasVillasinSpain. AlthoughNaturalParksweredesignedtopromoteanappropriatebalancebetweenconservationand development,inthisareatheprotectionistorientationwasdominant;whichexplainstheprohibition ofproductiveactivitiesinsomeareas.Logically,theimplementationofthisrestrictivepolicycauseda considerableapprehensionintheareathatstillsurvivestoday.Theresultsofresearchcarriedout showthat35%ofthesamplehasanegativeimageoftheNaturalPark.Thisisperceivedasasource ofproblemsandobstacletotheregiondevelopment;inhabitantsthinkthatitsimplementationhas hardlyanyadvantages(seeFigure2).   WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1685  Figure2.AssessmentofthelocalpopulationabouttheimpactoftheNaturalParkintheterritory. ThisnegativeimagedoesnotliesomuchintheNaturalParkitself,whichmanyregardasan underexploitedpotentialasset,butratherinthemismanagementoftheenvironmentalauthorities involved.46%ofourrespondentsthinkthatthesocialconflictbetweenlocalpopulationand environmentalmanagementcouldhavebeenavoidedbymeasurestocompensatethepeoplefor thedifficultiescreatedbytheapplicationofnatureprotectionintheireconomies.Inotherwords, suchaprotectionistpolicyhasledtoaprocessofalienationofthepopulationformtheir environment.NaturalParkisperceivedassomethingdifferent,andnotasafundamentalcomponent oftheiridentity,theirhistoryandculture(Lozano,2008).Thissituationhasgeneratedaclimateof hostilitytowardsanykindofinitiativethathasanenvironmentcharacter,whichisinfluencingthe developmentoforganicagricultureintheNaturalPark,asweshallseelater. "Developing"theterritory:theintensificationoftheolivegrove Theparadoxofimplementingenvironmentalandconservationpolicyisthatithasco‐existedwithan intensiveagriculturalmodelformanyyears,atleastinEurope.Thisagriculturalmodelisbasedon chemicalinputs,geneticinnovationsandmassmechanizationoffarming,whichmeansthatitis highlypollutingandhasastrongimpactonenvironmentaldegradation.InAndalusia,theapplication ofthismodel,followingCommonAgriculturalPolicy(CAP),hasgeneratedtwotypesofprocesses.On theonehand,thediffusionoftechnologyandhighlystandardizedproductionsystemsand,onthe other,theincreasingmarginalizationoftraditionalproduction,linkedtolocalvarieties,withthe pursuantimpactonenvironmentandlandscapes(Aguilar,2007,AguilarandLozano,2008).Our observationalunitisaparadigmaticexampleofthistendencybecausetherehasbeenashiftaway fromtraditionalagriculturalsystembasedontheinterplaybetweenagriculturalandforestactivities toanewonefocusonasinglecrop:theolivegrove. Whiletheolivehasanextensivebackgroundinthearea,therehasbeenanexpansionduringthelast twodecadesdrivenbysubsidiesfromtheEuropeanUnion.Nowadays,thiscropoccupies78%of cultivatedlandintheterritory.Theintensificationofthisactivityhavehadenvironmental consequences:groundwaterhavebeenpollutedbytheindiscriminateapplicationofchemicalsand syntheticprocesses,thelandscapehavechanged,erosionprocesseshaveincreased,andbiodiversity havebeenreduced. Thus,thiskindofproblemsistheconsequenceofimplementingseveralsectorspolicieswith divergentobjectivesinasingleterritory.Theseactionshavebeencontradictoryinmanycases; intensificationofagriculturedoesnotmatchwithnaturalresourceprotection.However,the introductionofsustainabledevelopmentmodels,andtheterritorialapproachoftheEuropean developmentpolicy(EsparciaandNoguera,1999)havebeguntochangethissituation.Indeed,these twochangeshavesupportedthedevelopmentoforganicfarmingintheNaturalPark. Theoriginsoforganicfarmingintheterritory.The"greening"ofoliveoil. Organicproduction,alsoknownasecologicalorbiological,isamanagementsystemforagriculture andfoodproductionthatseekstopromotethepreservationofnaturalresources,thegenerationof biodiversity,therespectforanimalwelfare,andtoobtainfoodwithoutchemicaland/orsynthetic WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1686 wastes(Lampkinetal.,1999).Followingthemodelofterritorialapproachfordevelopment,this productionmethodhasbecomeanessentialtoolforreconcilingconservationanddevelopmentin theProtectedNaturalAreas(Kaltoft,1999). However,theoriginoforganicproductioninthisareacanbetracedtothemid1980s,anditwas associatedwiththeneedtogeneratealternativestothelowproductivityofmountainolivegroves. Thus,itwasanattempttostimulateamarginalterritoryfacingseriousproblemsofdepopulation, agingandmasculinisation,asmanySpanishmountains.Theprojectalsopursuedtohighlightthe valueofthequalityoftheiroils,tomakethemcompetitiveonworldmarketsandimprovefarmers' incomes In1986,drivenbytheDepartmentofAgricultureandFisheriesoftheAndalusianRegional Government,farmersfromGénave‐oneofthemunicipalitieslocatedonthenorthernslopeofthe Park‐ decidedtostartorganicproductionofolives.Todoso,theyeliminatedtheuseofchemicals andsyntheticsandintroducedinnovationsinthemanagementofolivegroves:fertilization,soil management,pestanddiseasecontrol(Pajarón,2007),aswellasthemanufacturingprocesses, marketingandsaleofoil(Marbán,2003). Overtheyears,organicfarminghasledtoanexpansionanddiversificationofproduction.Thus,in 2004,whenwestartedthisresearch,thesectorhad157producerswith2.500hectaresofolive trees,woodsandpastures,horticulturalcrops;whoseproductionwasprocessedby8organic industries.Incontrasttoconventionalfarmersthatdisclosedanaverageof53,2yearsprofile,organic farmersintheareawereyounger–withanaverageof50.6years(Lozano,2009).Likewise,itis noteworthythatonethirdoforganicfarmersinterviewedhadauniversitydegree.Accordingto Pugliese(2001)thisisafeaturethatmayhavehelpedtoincorporatetheinnovationsinvolvedinthis methodofproduction.Theseaspectsalsooffergoodprospectsforaddressingissuesofterritory, especiallytorejuvenatetheagriculturalpopulationandtomaintaingenerationalreplacementinthis activity. Accordingtooursurvey,environmentalconcernsarethemainmotivationforstartingthisactivity, representedby54%ofthesample.Withinthisgrouptherewastomainconcerns,theawareness abouttheimpactofindustrializedagriculturemodelontheenvironment,andtheuseofchemicals andsyntheticsproducts.Insecondplaceappearstheeconomicmotivation,whichwasessentialfor 34%ofthem,whichmeansthatmanyofthembecameorganicfarmersasastrategytovalue increaseoftheirproduction,barelycompetitivewiththemajorandalusianoliveproducingareas.It wasapioneeringinitiativethatwasreinforcedafter1992followingtheestablishmentoftheCAP agri‐environmentorientedfinancialcompensationtofarmerswhovoluntarilyintroduceagricultural practicesthatrespecttheenvironment(Buttel,1993).However,mostfarmersadvocatingabalance betweentheinterestsincreatingpollutionfreefarmsandpromotebiodiversitywiththe developmentofanactivitythatallowedthemtoobtainaminimumprofit. OrganicproductioninNaturalParkasmodelofSyal? Despitetheimpactoforganicproductioninthegenerationofbiodiversityandsustained developmentintheNaturalParkduringthepast20years,linksbetweenagrarianandenvironmental policiesintheareahavebarelyemerged.Theoriginalideawastolinkecologicalolivegrowingwith thevaluesofthenewlycreatedNationalPark,buttheenvironmentalmanagementhasshownno interestforsuchinitiatives.Furthermore,whiletheseproducerswerecompensatedfinanciallyfor thedevelopmentoftheirpracticesthroughagro‐environmentsubsidies,theGoverningBoardofthe NatureParkwasonlyconcernedtoimplementtheconservationguidelinestopreservethenatural resources.Itmaybedenotedthatenvironmentalprotectionhasblockedthedevelopmentoforganic agricultureand,aboveall,oforganiclivestockintheterritory.Eventhoughthepotentialofferedby thissectorforconversionbecausetheirextensivenature,adaptedlocalbreedsandtypeof managementdeveloped.ThereasonforthisparadoxisthatmostPark’sforestsarepublic,so,the registrationasorganiccorrespondstotheRegionalGovernment. WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1687 Thisdivisionbetweenagriculturalandenvironmentalpolicyexplainsthelackoftrustonanyinitiative relatedtonatureprotection,andthisintensedislikehasmovedtoorganicproduction,whichisseen asanotherattempttorestricttheterritory'seconomicactivitiesinfavourofwildlifeprotection.In thissense,therehavebeennumerousconflictsinrecentyears;perhapsoneofthemostsignificant hasbeenthecontraryattitudebetweenorganicandconventionalfarmersaboutthesystematic aerialsprayingofcrops.Therefore,despitethesynergiesthatcouldbederivedfromthelocationof differentexperiencesofproductionandprocessingoforganicproductswithinthisNature,thefactis thatfordecades,attemptstoassociateenvironmentalprotectionandorganicproductionhave resultedsterile,ifnotcounterproductive. Inrecentyears,however,thesituationhasbeguntochange,makingwayforaterritorialmodelof development.Thenewmodelhasanimpactonrelationswiththesurroundingecosystem,linkingthe properconservationofenvironmentalresourceswiththepromotionofsocio‐economicactivitiesand culturalelementsassociatedwiththisparticularterritory(LozanoyAguilar,2008). ThechangesstartedwiththedesignofasetofSustainableDevelopmentPlansoftheAndalusian NaturalParktoestablishspecificstrategiesforeachoftheterritoriesaccordingtotheirneedsand resources.Thepurposewastoendtheproblemsofdepopulationandabandonmentofactivitiesthat isgoingoninmanyoftheseprotectedareas.TheplanfortheNP‐SCSVwasapprovedin2003and gavegreatimportancetopromotingorganicagricultureandorganiclivestockproduction, consideringthecleareffectoftheseinitiativesonimprovingthesustainabilityoflocalproduction system.Thatmeantthatforthefirsttime,thereisaproactivestancetowardorganicstewardship promotion. Itisinterestingtopointoutthatthisfirstshiftcoincidedwiththecreationin2004oftheGeneral DirectionofEcologicalAgriculture,agencyresponsibleforthemanagementandpromotionoforganic farmingpolicieswithinAndalusia.Thepromotionofthiskindofagricultureandlivestockproduction intheNaturalParkswasoneofthefundamentalaxesofaction,notonlybecausethe implementationofthisactivityiseasierintheseareas,butmostofallforthepositivesynergiesthat thisinitiativecouldgeneratefortheareasintheformofnewincomesandjobs.Weunderstandthat theconfluenceofinterestandobjectivesofbothadministrationshasbeenthebreedinggroundfor thegrowingnumberofacres,producersandprocessorsinAndalusianPNAs. TheNaturalParkofSierrasdeCazorla,SeguraandLasVillashasbeenreceivingmoreattention lately.Thestartingpointwasthecoordinationofvariouspolicyareas(agriculture,environment, employment,health,etc.),aswellasthevariousadministrativelevelsworkinginthearea.Forthe firsttime,ithasbeenestablishedaforumfordialoguebetweenlocalpeopleandrepresentativesof theNaturalPark,twotraditionallyantagonisticgroups.Theyagreedacommonstrategyforthe developmentoforganicproductionwithintheprotectedspace(Lozano,2009).Thisforumhasalso enabledenvironmentalmanagementtounderstandthedemandsoflocalfarmers,certifyingpublic forestpasturesasorganic,oneofthemainobstaclesforthiseconomicactivityintheNaturalPark. Fromthiscommonagenda,severalinitiativesforproductionandmarketinghavebeencreated.First, employmentworkshopsonorganichorticultureandorganicvegetablecanninghavebeenoneof them.Theobjectiveofthisinitiativewastogeneratenewemploymentalternativesandpromotethe creationofcompaniesrelatedtoorganicproduction.Secondlysmallecologicalshops(biopuntos) wereestablishedinthelocalmarkets,withtheaimofenhancingshortchainsupplies.Athird initiativeisrelatedtoinstitutionalmarketsintegratedintheProgramofSocialConsumptionof OrganicProducts,whichhastakenthisfoodstraighttothemenuofsomeschoolsandkindergartens intheareaandinthelocalhospital.Allthesemeasureshaveachievedanimportantdoublepurpose: tomaketheseproductsvisible,andtospreadthemamongthelocalpopulationtoovercomethe resistanceandnegativestereotypestowardthisproductionsystem.Thisdoubleobjectiveis importantbecauseencouragingconsumptionandincreasingdemandforthiskindoffoodwould solveoneofthemainproblemsoftheorganicsector,andalsocouldleadconventionalfarmers towardsconversion. WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1688 Theresultsareevident.Despitethelowtrajectoryoftheprojecttherehavebeenadramaticincrease incertifiedarea,whichhasenlargedfrom2455.31hain2004,to7316.6hain2008.Withinthis numbers,themostsignificanthasbeenareaofpasturesandmeadows,itneverexistedbeforeand nowrepresent40%and33.8%ofthetotalareacertified(2925.31and2475.63harespectively).In thesameway,thelanddevotedtoherbaceoushaveexpandedfrom82hain2004to388hain2008. Finally,thesupportofenvironmentalpolicyfortheecologicalcertificationofpublicpastureshas allowedagroupof15livestockfarmers,groupedinacooperative,tojointheorganicsector,bringing thenumberofproducerstomorethan175.Theseactionsalsorepresentastepforwardtheactive integrationoffarmersinthemanagementofnaturalresourcesandrecognitionoftheimportanceof sustainablemanagementoflivestockcanhaveinpromotingbiodiversity,wildplantsreductionand fireprevention. TheprocessisenablingtheemergenceofaSYALinthearea;whereitwasbeingpursuedoneofits objective,strengthenbackwardlinkage,thatis,thedirectrelationshipbetweenfarmers,livestock, processorsandconsumers.Inthiswaythelatestinitiativesaimedatboostingdomesticconsumption throughtheestablishmentofshortchannelssupplies(Lozano,2007).Evenwhentheexperienceof biopuntoshasonlybeensupportedforseveralmonths,thefactisthatsomeproducershave continuedwiththeprojectbythemselves,keepingtheirplacefororganicproductsintheweekly marketsinsomemunicipalities.Asimilarimpactintheareaishavingthemaintenanceofthe ProgramofSocialConsumption,whichissuccessfullyintroducingthenewgenerationstothese products,especiallyfruitsandvegetables. Inshort,wecouldsaythatthisstrategyandinitiativeshaveled“traditionally”opposedsocialactors intoanewpathofruraldevelopmentwhosemainoutcomeisthepromotionoforganicagriculture andlivestockinthisNPA.Thisfactallowsustospeakofanemerging‘NaturalParkofSierrasde Cazorla,SeguraandLasVillas`SYAL.Ourcasemakesclearthatthekeyfactorhasbeenthe establishmentofnetworksamongthedifferentlocalactors.Theinvolvementoforganicoperators‐ andparticularlytheirinternalcoordinationwithothersocialactorsoftheterritory‐wereessentialfor theconsolidationanddevelopmentoforganicproduction.Whichshallbeconsideredasanexample oforganizationalinnovationsoflocalproducers,andtheverticalintegrationofthewholeorganic productionsystem,generatingthereforeformsofcoordinationnotonlyhorizontalbutalsovertical (Boucher,2004). Conclusions Thisarticlehasanalyzedtheprocessofreorientationofenvironmentalpolicyfromconservation guidelines,tootherpositionsclosertothenewterritorialapproachfordevelopment.Thisnew frameworkhasexplainedtheexpansionoforganicagricultureandlivestockproductioninProtected NaturalAreasinAndalusia,specifically,intheNaturalParkofSierrasdeCazorla,SeguraandLas Villas. First,ithashighlightedtheimpactthattheimplementationofconservationpolicyhadonthe territoryand,suchasdistrustofthelocalpopulationtowardsthefigureofNaturePark.Wedenoted theconsequencesofthisimplementationinthedevelopmentoforganicagriculture.Thecausesofit havebeennotonlythepassiveattitudeofenvironmentalagencybutalsothenegativeimageof organicagricultureemergingfromhisassociationwiththerestrictivepolicyofenvironmentalagency. Secondly,thepaperhighlightsthepotentialthathavebeengeneratedfromthereorientationof environmentalandagriculturepolicy.Activeinvolvementoftheseadministrationsinpromoting organicagricultureintheterritoryhasbeenoneofthefactorswhichledtothegrowthinnumberof hectaresandproducersintheNaturalPark.Inaddition,theseactionsinvolverecognitionoftherole oflocalpopulationintheconstructionofthatterritoryandtrytointegratetheminthemanagement ofresources.Thisinitiativeisalsoanexampleofthepotentialityofthebioregionalmodelandits understandingofbiodiversityconservationasanactionthatmustintegratessocial,economic, culturalandenvironmentalconditionsofeachterritory. WS4.2–LocalisedAndSustainableAgri‐FoodSystemsInTimesOfRuralChanges 9thEuropeanIFSASymposium,4‐7July2010,Vienna(Austria)1689 Thirdly,thepromotionoforganicproductionintheprotectednaturalareasis,aswehaveseen,one ofthebeststrategiestopromotetheaxiomsofthebioregionalparadigm.Aswehaveseen,organic agriculturecancontributetoreducesomeofthedemographic,socialandeconomicproblemsthat facetheseterritories.Itcanbeaviablealternativetotraditionalproduction,asthissectoris composedofayoungerpopulation,withhighereducationandgreaterentrepreneurialskills.Organic producershavepositiveattitudestoinnovationandtheyareprideofbeingfarmersasthey contributewiththeiractivitytopromotesustainableenvironments.Similarly,thetechniquesusedin organicfarmingcontributetotheconservationofbiodiversityandcanhelptoreduceagrarian pollutionandtocounteractsomenegativeimpactsaserosionandlandscapedegradation. Fourthly,wehaveconsideredthisexperienceasaLocalizedAgriFoodSystem(SYAL)becausevarious collectivestrategieshavebeendevelopedtolinkthisgenericcertificationwiththenaturalandsocioculturalcharacteristicsofthisterritory.Ithasencouragedaregionaldevelopmentthattriestoroot thisactivitybytheincorporationofthedifferentialvaluesoftheterritoryand,aboveall,bythe applicationofanintegralmanagementmodel.Thisassociationthathasalsobeenpositiveforthe NaturalParkwhoseimageofsustainabilityhasbeenreinforcedbyhisconnectionwiththepositive environmentalexternalitiesthatorganicproductiongenerates.Thisorientationtowardsqualityhas required,aswehaveseen,theincorporationofmanyinnovationsinproducts,processesand techniques,andintheorganizationestablishedamongactors.Suchinnovationshavebeenclosely linkedtotherecoveryofpracticesandknow‐howwhichhadremainedinthearea,despitethe gradualintensificationofagriculture. Finally,theelementthatseemsmostinterestinginSYALperspectiveistheemphasisgiventotherole oflocalactorsandcollectiveactioninthegenerationoftheseprocesses.Aswehaveseen,oneofthe keyelementsoftheconsolidationoftheSYAL“NaturalParkSierrasdeCazorla,SegurayLasVillasorganicagriculture”hasbeentheestablishmentofnetworksbetweendifferentactorsofthe territory.Ontheonehand,networksbetweenorganicproducersandbetweentheseproducersand organicindustrieshavebeencreatedinordertostrengtheninternalcoordination.Ontheother,links betweenorganicoperatorsandinstitutionsand,aboveall,closertiesbetweenproducersand consumersbydevelopingshort‐changesupplieshavebeenpromoted. 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