Food for Thoughts: The District Approach to Rural Areas Development—A Case Study in Campania

Giorgia Iovino (), Eleonora Guadagno and Daniele Bagnoli
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Giorgia Iovino: Department of Political and Communication Sciences (PoliCom), University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Eleonora Guadagno: Department of Human and Social Science, University “L’Orientale”, 80134 Naples, Italy
Daniele Bagnoli: Department of Humanities, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-26

Abstract: The district approach has become increasingly important for the analysis and planning of local agro-food systems. In this paper, we analyse the role and potential of Italian food districts, spaces of governance where a plurality of actors share practices and knowledge and jointly elaborate local development strategies. After a first section aimed at illustrating the theoretical background and the regulatory framework, we examine the food districts of Benevento, an inland Province of the Campania Region, in order to: (i) reconstruct the characteristics, actors and strategies of these local food systems and critically discuss the criteria used for their creation and spatialisation; (ii) investigate the contribution that districts can make to the goals of social cohesion and sustainability. As for the methods, we use a mixed approach that integrates documentary analysis and geostatistical information with a qualitative survey (based on semi-structured interviews and questionnaires) to explore the governance model adopted and the degree of participation and interest generated among stakeholders. We conclude that the district approach can, under certain conditions, be a key tool for territorial enhancement, especially for those internal areas marked by depopulation and economic decline.

Keywords: food districts; multilevel governance; community-led local development; Italy; Campania Region (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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