Agroecology in Mediterranean Europe: Genesis, State and Perspectives

Paola Migliorini, Vasileios Gkisakis, Victor Gonzalvez, Ma Dolores Raigón and Paolo Bàrberi
Additional contact information
Paola Migliorini: University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12042 Pollentia, Italy
Vasileios Gkisakis: Agroecologiki SP, Agricultural Research & Development, Tryfitsou 3, 70100 Archanes, Crete, Greece
Victor Gonzalvez: Spanish Society for Organic Farming/Agroecology (SEAE), Cami del Port, s/n km 1, Edif ECA, Portón 1 (Apdo 397), E-46470 Catarroja (Valencia), Spain
Ma Dolores Raigón: Escuela Técnica Superior Ingeniería Agronómica y Medio Natural (ETSIAMN), Univ Politécnica Valencia (UPV), Cami de Vera, s/n. Edif 3P, E-46022 Valencia, Spain
Paolo Bàrberi: Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127 Pisa, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: The Mediterranean agro-food systems need to be properly managed. A promising pathway is the transition towards more sustainable food systems through agroecology, which represents the ecology of food systems. In this paper, the state-of-the-art of agroecology is described for three representative euro-Mediterranean countries: Italy, Greece, and Spain. The analysis has been partly based on results of a dedicated literature search and partly on grey literature and expert knowledge. After an overview of the history of agroecology, targeted research and education, collective action (political and social), and some agroecological practices in the three countries are presented. These countries share a rather similar use of the term “agroecology”, but they differ regarding (i) the existence/extent of strong civil and social movements; (ii) the type of study/educational programmes, and the relative importance of different scientific disciplines and their evolution; (iii) the development of political support and legal frameworks; and (iv) the elaboration of concepts to rediscover traditional practices and apply new ones, often taken from the organic agriculture sector. Agroecology is an emerging concept for the Mediterranean agricultural sector, with huge potential due to the peculiar socio-cultural, bio-physical, and political-economic features of the region. To boost agroecology in Mediterranean Europe, better networking and engagement of different actors within a coherent institutional framework supporting the transition is strongly needed.

Keywords: science; practice; movement; Italy; Greece; Spain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:8:p:2724-:d:161616

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