Do Rural Development Policies Really Help Small Farms? A Reflection from Italy

Although research and political intentions both recognise the crucial role of small farms in Rural Development (RD) strategies, actual practice they are left out benefits agricultural policies. This is not established by legislative or regulatory prescriptions. It result consolidated practices driven productivist approach to development, overtaken concept multifunctionality, which has inspired European intervention sector rural areas for more than twenty years. particularly evident Italy, where weight extremely significant terms numbers, farmland area work generated. The continuity Italy fundamental importance due their economic, environmental social relevance objective reconnecting agriculture territories a circular vision RD. Despite this role, these have historically had great difficulty accessing RD programmes national regional implementation plans, set access thresholds procedural constraints that effectively exclude farmers. construction strategy requires specific attention universe farms, should be included within perimeter potential beneficiaries Bien que la recherche et les politiques reconnaissent toutes deux le rôle des petites exploitations dans stratégies de développement (DR), pratique, elles sont exclues avantages agricoles. Ceci n'est pas établi par prescriptions législatives ou réglementaires. C'est résultat pratiques consolidées portées l'approche productiviste du agricole, dépassée multifonctionnalité qui inspiré l'intervention européenne secteur agricole zones rurales depuis plus vingt ans. particulièrement évident en Italie, où poids est extrêmement important termes d'effectifs, superficie foncière création d’emploi. La continuité Italie d'une fondamentale raison leur pertinence économique, environnementale sociale pour l'objectif reconnecter territoires une circulaire DR. Malgré ce crucial, ces ont historiquement eu grandes difficultés à accéder aux DR mise œuvre nationale régionale fixent seuils d'accès contraintes procédurales excluent effectivement petits agriculteurs. stratégie nécessite particulière l'univers agricoles, doivent être incluses périmètre bénéficiaires potentiels Sowohl der Forschung als auch Politik wird anerkannt, dass kleine landwirtschaftliche Betriebe den Strategien zur Entwicklung ländlichen Raums eine entscheidende Rolle spielen. Dennoch werden sie Praxis von Vorteilen Agrarpolitik ausgeschlossen. Dies ist nicht auf oder regulatorische Vorschriften zurückzuführen. Es das Ergebnis gefestigter Vorgehensweisen, die einem Produktivität ausgerichteten Ansatz landwirtschaftlichen bestimmt werden. Dieser wurde vom Konzept Multifunktionalität überholt, welches europäischen Maßnahmen im Agrarsektor und Gebieten seit mehr zwanzig Jahren bestimmt. Besonders deutlich dies Italien, wo kleinen Bezug ihre Zahl, Fläche ihnen geleisteten Arbeit ein sehr großes Gewicht haben. Der Fortbestand Italien spielt aufgrund ihrer wirtschaftlichen, ökologischen sozialen Bedeutung für Ziel, Landwirtschaft Regionen Rahmen einer „zirkulären Vision“ ländliche wieder miteinander zu verbinden Rolle. Dessen ungeachtet hatten diese Vergangenheit große Schwierigkeiten beim Zugang Programmen Entwicklung. darauf zurückzuführen, bei Umsetzung Pläne nationaler regionaler Ebene Zugangsschwellen verfahrenstechnische Beschränkungen festgelegt wurden, effektiv ausschließen. Die Ausarbeitung nationalen Strategie Raum erfordert besondere Berücksichtigung Betriebe, Kreis potenziellen Begünstigten aufgenommen sollten. gap between content policy discourses recurring theme study changing models public (Erjavec Erjavec, 2015). In field policies, large body literature addressed resilience (Lowe Baldock, 2000). However, accompanied cycle 30-year reforms seem enshrined multifunctional development agriculture. vision, productivity, specialisation standardisation supported, while interaction agricultural, territorial policies becomes central. Part perspective Europe been realised thanks slow but reform process changed face sector, on many questions still remain. Over course reforms, CAP transformed measures introduced help move towards paradigm, introducing cross-compliance 2003 series mandatory rules support. addition, other actions applied. For example, introduction ecological transition, such as Organic Farming, Greening agri-environmental measures; those follow citizens' demands, improving animal welfare very recent cross-compliance, aims improve farmers' working conditions. Among these, an issue often overlooked whose weight, especially Mediterranean area, generated ecosystem services provided peri-urban (Guiomar al., 2018). farmers came fore during Covid-19 pandemic (Laborde 2020). Nevertheless, facing difficulties programmes, interventions made available Member States (MS) promote balanced systems. (and regional) plans so far excluded from pool measures. limited them local strategies. mainly cultural heritage keeps criteria selecting anchored agriculture, oriented identify efficiency with possibility achieving economies scale. type approach, parametric (statistical) contextualised neglects values link territory. These encoded quality systems, recognition related activities realisation no connection farm barriers hinder funds written into regulations. They part place MS minimum economic size below cannot identified beneficiaries. reference parameter Standard Output (SO), average monetary value output at farm-gate price each product given region. calculated per hectare head livestock holding measured total SO expressed euros. is, therefore, standardised measure somewhat unrelated farms’ ability produce income. Referring means considering products commodities, ignoring diversification inherent multifunctionality severely limiting integration farm's resources territory it operates. Where presence widespread, greatly reduces promoted supported legislator. Today, framework renewed launch Green Deal period 2023–2027, greater focus placed contribution transitions coming Also pushing through contextualise so-called ‘new delivery model’. With model, possibility, common rules, adapt needs involved. opportunity seized, family farming predominant form (in also Eastern Europe), order enhance – disperse valuable contribution. regard, Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski criticism CAP's historical (EurActiv, 2021), stressing that, even today, little involved Brussels’ support sector. denunciation, Commissioner's seemed exhortation time future CAP, called upon, unprecedented autonomy flexibility, develop strategies areas. Prior intervention, numerous voices scientific communities (Vigani Dwyer, 2020) raised emphasise actors building sustainable society call CAP. Parliament adopted resolution (European Parliament, 2014) invited Commission, new adopt appropriate take account family-run farms. underlined represent element model heart regions general. context worth mentioning commissioned risk land abandonment (Schuh From emerged about 30 cent (approximately 56 million ha) phenomenon determined disappearance most marginal remote EU. decline small-scale led removal ecosystems landscape services. families integrate mobilise vital certainly case realities life multifaceted entrepreneurial fabric rests substantial agritourism network, including share supply high-quality products: Protected Designation Origin (PDO), Geographical Indication (PGI) organic (Rivera To think supporting existence capillary network paradox soon remedied. Empirical evidence tells us entities essential additional commercial We talking collective expression exchanges territory; innovative business real only partially captured official statistics completely evaluations used today Small seen differently paradigms. former, could considered destined ultimately disappear along road compression production costs. second, show, contrary, create value, complex adaptation socio-economic opportunities. Therefore, question recognising making accessible. particular partly EU countries bordering some up-to-date data can used, waiting 2020 census data, yet available, survey carried Istat 2016 (Istat, 2016) structure (SPA). selected sample consists less €15,000. fact, threshold, conventionally defined there 732,198 annual €15,000, representing almost 64 number Italy. highest incidence recorded southern regions, contain well above average, Apulia (78.7 cent), Molise (76.7 Calabria (74.7 cent) Basilicata (73.5 cent). On hand, if we look percentage UAA represents 17.7 (Table 1). days (working day 8 hours work), 28 Italian agriculture; distribution shows values, (57.7 Tuscany (46.3 (43.4 Finally, dimension figures show how positive protagonists relationship found opportunities growth paradigm. include functions (diversification, on-farm processing, direct sales, agritourism) aimed creating added linked, provision health, educational ones wide range eco-systemic Figure 1 managed region As health socio-educational associated concerned, tell 20 networks farmers, concentrated regions. Piedmont, accounts 65 offering province Bolzano, rises 80 cent, Lombardy, Veneto Emilia Romagna exceeds 40 cent. Even marked respect activities, coverage 25 entire network. peaks Valle d'Aosta (91 Umbria (48 Liguria (47 Piedmont (37 Still subject build territory, widespread processing businesses noted. Compared organised one third (31 renewable energy surprising: producing noted highlights protagonism styles. reacting margin squeeze reduced scale (the price-costs phenomenon) (Van Ploeg, 2000), capitalising diversification, demand products, designations origin production. Belonging circuits distinguishes (Figure 2). here landscape, terms, shown clearly article. light use anachronistic. measurement performance basis surface does permit capture revised. But how? By extending all active evaluating projects based market non-market values. Furthermore, agree need involve portion necessary define determine eligibility design simplified scheme, streamlined procedure hand administrative costs simplifies formalities scheme implies ad hoc studies highlighted (Toma 2021). option having compete same arena larger opt financially voluminous impractical, because would difficult make different procedures coexist funds, fact combination investment ceilings suited dedicated measure, resources. “Small territory.” “ Les un positif relation entre l'agriculture territoire. ” “Die sind Protagonisten Beziehung zwischen Region.” energy.