Foraging Practices and Sustainable Management of Wild Food Resources in Europe: A Systematic Review

Giorgio Mina, Valentina Scariot, Giovanni Peira () and Giampiero Lombardi
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Giorgio Mina: Department of Management, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy
Valentina Scariot: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 2, Largo Paolo Braccini, 10095 Turin, Italy
Giovanni Peira: Department of Management, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica 218 bis, 10134 Turin, Italy
Giampiero Lombardi: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 2, Largo Paolo Braccini, 10095 Turin, Italy

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-22

Abstract: Wild food gathering activities (i.e., foraging practices) played an important role in securing food in the past. Nowadays, these resources and the knowledge around their use are experiencing a process of erosion. This article aims to identify the factors explaining the abandonment or, on the other hand, the preservation of foraging practices in Europe. The second aim is to analyze how these practices contribute to the economic and social development of local communities and to the sustainability of land management. A systematic review of the literature on European foraging practices was performed to answer these research questions. Following this approach, 111 publications were selected and analyzed. The results highlight that the reasons for the abandonment of foraging practices are related to socio-economic changes as well as changes in the environment such as reduced availability and land-use change. On the other hand, heritagization processes of these resources, such as wild plants sold as traditional local products, in restaurants, or as eco-tourism experiences, are emerging. The sustainability of these practices has not been widely evaluated in the literature. Efficient management strategies of wild food resources could help foster all three dimensions of sustainability at the local level, as well as help preserve traditional knowledge. This systematic review thus contributes to highlighting the framework in which the sustainability of these practices should be assessed.

Keywords: wild plants; wild food; wild herbs; foraging; ethnobotany; food heritage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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