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Land
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Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture
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Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 31137

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Roberto Henke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Research in Agriculture and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agricultural Policies and Bioeconomy, Via Barberini 36, 00187 Rome, Italy
Interests: land sustainability; multifunctional agriculture; urban–rural linkages; common agricultural policy; green support; new delivery system; European agricultural model; income diversification in agriculture; small farms; food sustainability; food and culture; agri-food trade, import and export sophistication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesco Vanni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Research in Agriculture and Economics (CREA) - Research Centre for Agricultural Policies and Bioeconomy, Via Po 14, 00198 Roma, Italy
Interests: sustainability; ecosystem services; agroecology; urban–rural linkages; farm multifunctionality and diversification; entrepreneurship; agri-environmental policy and planning; urban and peri-urban agriculture; agricultural and food policy; rural development policy; multilevel governance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue focusing on the sustainability of peri-urban agriculture (PUA). In contemporary societies, PUA has become a very specific feature of multifunctional agriculture, which makes an important contribution not only to the sustainable development of peri-urban areas, but also to the reinforcement of urban–rural relationships. Far from being a transitional condition of semi-abandoned land destined to be incorporated in the process of urban growth, professional agriculture in the outskirts of metropolitan areas has progressively achieved a status of unique and sustainable activity thanks to the development of bilateral relationships with urban dwellers and institutions. Parallel to the ongoing process of the development and the enhancement of a complex and articulated agri-food system, PUA has specialized, in many cases, in supplying specific products and services to cities and citizens, addressing a growing demand for a mix of public and private goods and services which can be jointly supplied with the primary agricultural products, making primary activity more sustainable in all of its economic, environmental, and social dimensions.

The growing demand of such goods and services, such as social agriculture, educational farms, and recreational areas, supplied together with good-quality, healthy food directly provided to citizens has become a winning strategy for peri-urban farms not only to survive and reverse the downward trend toward decline and abandonment, but even to diversify their sources of income and finally grow. At the same time, the land involved is usually kept from further urbanization; while this can raise the level of social unrest and develop specific political interests, it secures the sustainable use of areas which are quite fragile from the environmental, economic, and social points of view.

With this Special Issue, we would like to achieve two main goals: (1) to establish the state of the art of this multidisciplinary, multifaceted topic, with contributions from economists, sociologists, landscapers, regional scientists, and geographers; (2) to highlight the main drivers of development of PUA, by focusing on economic, social, and environmental dynamics brought about by specific case studies and local experiences.

Key topics in this Special Issue include:

  • Sustainability of new forms of agriculture in urban and peri-urban areas;
  • Professional PUA and business models;
  • Farm characteristics and farm entrepreneurship in peri-urban areas;
  • Diversification and multifunctionality in PUA;
  • Role of PUA in the urban–rural nexus;
  • Learning opportunities and extension services for urban and peri-urban farmers;
  • Land use policy and planning in peri-urban landscapes;
  • Access to land;
  • Role of PUA in sustainable local food systems;
  • Land use policy and planning in peri-urban landscapes;
  • Social farming and green care;
  • Part-time farming and off-farm activities;
  • Conflicts and synergies between cities and agricultural areas;
  • Peri-urban areas and social transformations;
  • Deconstructing and reconstructing landscape in peri-urban areas.

Dr. Roberto Henke
Dr. Francesco Vanni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Peri-urban agriculture
  • Sustainability
  • Multifunctionality
  • Farm diversification
  • Urban food systems
  • Farm entrepreneurship
  • Urban–rural linkages
  • Land use policy

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6570 KiB  
Article
Planning Peri-Urban Open Spaces: Methods and Tools for Interpretation and Classification
by Enrico Gottero, Claudia Cassatella and Federica Larcher
Land 2021, 10(8), 802; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080802 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2905
Abstract
Today, planning an urban–rural interface requires redefining the planner’s role and toolbox. Global challenges such as food security, climate change and population growth have become urgent issues to be addressed, especially for the implications in land use management. Urban–rural linkages, socio-economic interactions and [...] Read more.
Today, planning an urban–rural interface requires redefining the planner’s role and toolbox. Global challenges such as food security, climate change and population growth have become urgent issues to be addressed, especially for the implications in land use management. Urban–rural linkages, socio-economic interactions and ecological connectivity are the main issues on which the new urban agenda and sustainable development goals focus. Thus, urban and peri-urban agriculture (professional and not professional) in urban–rural interfaces has a crucial role in the maintenance and enhancement of landscape quality, urban green spaces and ecosystem services. The research presented in this article adopts a holistic approach, with a special focus on open spaces, in order to understand the complexity of peri-urban landscapes and to identify homogeneous units. It also defines map-based indices to characterize peri-urban landscape types and identify main functions to maintain and enhance. The method was applied to the peri-urban area of Turin (Italy), and maps of spatial and functional classification at the landscape unit level were generated, as well as a map of critical areas to improve. Despite some minor limitations, the method and tools proposed appear to have a range of applications in the context of global challenges and from a landscape perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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23 pages, 1743 KiB  
Article
Income Diversification Strategies of Italian Peri-Urban Farms: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
by Orlando Cimino, Marco Vassallo, Roberto Henke and Francesco Vanni
Land 2021, 10(8), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080790 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2070
Abstract
On-farm diversification in non-agricultural activities has been increasingly recognized as a rewarding farm strategy through which farmers produce on-farm non-agricultural goods and services. The main objective of this paper is to explore to what extent the condition of peri-urbanity affects farm income diversification [...] Read more.
On-farm diversification in non-agricultural activities has been increasingly recognized as a rewarding farm strategy through which farmers produce on-farm non-agricultural goods and services. The main objective of this paper is to explore to what extent the condition of peri-urbanity affects farm income diversification in Italy by looking at the push and pull factors that allow peri-urban farmers to re-organize their business by developing diversification strategies that are tightly connected to the demand of goods and services coming from the urban society. A structural equation modeling (SEM) statistical technique has been applied to estimate direct and indirect causal relationships among the multiple variables involved. The SEM analytical approach allowed us to untie the complexity of the push and pull factors connections and to highlight the most significant ones. The strengths of the structural paths provide evidence on the key diversification strategies adopted by peri-urban farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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22 pages, 1466 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Villages in the Hinterland of a Polycentric Region: Case Study of the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis in Poland
by Elżbieta Zuzańska-Żyśko and Marlena Dyszy
Land 2021, 10(8), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080779 - 25 Jul 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2657
Abstract
This article examines the growth of the labour market and entrepreneurship in a metropolitan area. In particular, the study attempts to answer how the economy of the rural regions is developing in the hinterland of a large urban complex in Southern Poland, which [...] Read more.
This article examines the growth of the labour market and entrepreneurship in a metropolitan area. In particular, the study attempts to answer how the economy of the rural regions is developing in the hinterland of a large urban complex in Southern Poland, which is transforming from a post-industrial conurbation into a metropolitan area. The study applied Florence’s local specialization index, statistical measures, dynamics indexes, and Pearson’s correlation index. The research results show that the local economy, including the labour market, is systematically growing. Rural communes refer to multifunctional development based on services, and they represent diverse economic specializations. They are subject to economies of scale and benefit from the proximity and impact of a large urban complex. The economic growth of rural areas in the hinterland is related to entrepreneurship, convenient location in relation to cities, and migration from cities to villages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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20 pages, 4294 KiB  
Article
Assessing Agri-Food Start-Ups Sustainability in Peri-Urban Agriculture Context
by Ambrogio Zanzi, Valentina Vaglia, Roberto Spigarolo and Stefano Bocchi
Land 2021, 10(4), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10040384 - 07 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2661
Abstract
Latest international directives indicate the need for sustainable development, linking socio-economic and environmental aspects, to reach the goals set by Agenda 2030. In this context, peri-urban agriculture can represent the opportunity to increase cities’ sustainability, improving their liveability level, fulfilling a crucial social [...] Read more.
Latest international directives indicate the need for sustainable development, linking socio-economic and environmental aspects, to reach the goals set by Agenda 2030. In this context, peri-urban agriculture can represent the opportunity to increase cities’ sustainability, improving their liveability level, fulfilling a crucial social part since it assures new sources of job opportunities and territorial requalification. This study presents a peri-urban requalification experience, conducted in Milan, Italy, where, within the European funded project OpenAgri, eight agri-food start-ups began their activities in a peri-urban area at the southern gates of the city. The study aims to assess and evaluate these start-ups’ sustainability using the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA), which considers four sustainability pillars: Good governance, economic resilience, environmental integrity and social well-being. The application of SAFA indicators to the eight start-ups revealed their positive aspects and some limitations, typical of some not structured enterprises. The research describes a scalable and replicable example of peri-urban agriculture’s potentiality in solving environmental, social and economic issues and tests FAO’s SAFA framework, which is still unexplored in this sustainability assessment context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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10 pages, 11373 KiB  
Article
Culture-Led Plan for Peri-Urban Agricultural Sustainability: A Case of Pu’an Village in China
by Wei Li, Yang Zhou and Zhanwei Zhang
Land 2021, 10(3), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030242 - 01 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2373
Abstract
Most cases of multifunctional peri-urban agriculture offer diverse economic and ecological benefits, while a few involve cultural dimensions. In China, a “cultural turn” in the construction plan of beautiful villages has occurred. Through the analysis of policy and focus-group interviews, this research analyzes [...] Read more.
Most cases of multifunctional peri-urban agriculture offer diverse economic and ecological benefits, while a few involve cultural dimensions. In China, a “cultural turn” in the construction plan of beautiful villages has occurred. Through the analysis of policy and focus-group interviews, this research analyzes a case study of rural planning in the Pu’an village, a peri-urban village near Changzhou city in the Yangtze River Delta, China. Particular attention is given to investigating the process of identifying the local cultural symbol of a multifunctional plant, the bulrush. Combining natural landscape and cultural resources, rural planning explores the multifunctional agricultural services based on the bulrush-central creative industry in Pu’an village. The research introduces the framework of “bulrush + creative industry,” which includes one core industry and two extended industries. The core industry is a creative processing industry, and the two extended ones are the creative planting industry and the creative tourist industry. Highlighting the participation of local villagers and outsiders or urban tourist, as well as the creative class and entrepreneurs, the research emphasizes the revival of local rural culture, especially in peri-urban villages. Finally, this paper contributes to exploring a new area of cultural dynamics for the sustainable development of peri-urban agriculture, combined with creative rural experience and ruralism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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21 pages, 3195 KiB  
Article
Drive Mechanisms of Soil Quality Changes in Peri-Urban Areas
by Hongbin Liu and Jie Lyu
Land 2021, 10(2), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10020171 - 07 Feb 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1701
Abstract
The driving mechanism of soil quality (SQ) has important implications for arable land protection, sustainable agricultural development and ecological environment conservation. This study builds a “perception–response” theoretical framework to investigate how farmers’ land use behavior may affect SQ from the temporal and spatial [...] Read more.
The driving mechanism of soil quality (SQ) has important implications for arable land protection, sustainable agricultural development and ecological environment conservation. This study builds a “perception–response” theoretical framework to investigate how farmers’ land use behavior may affect SQ from the temporal and spatial perspectives. Based on soil sampling data, farmer survey data and socioeconomic statistical data collected in a typical peri-urban area of northeast China, geo-statistical analysis and econometric models have been applied to examine the effect of farmers’ land use behavior (FLUB) on SQ. The results show that during 1980–2010, the target of FLUB has been shifted from “grain output maximization” to “grain output and profit maximization” and then to “profit maximization”. The FLUB, including land use pattern, land use degree and land input intensity, also show obvious differences in space. These differences result in distinct impacts on the variation of SQ in time and space. Generally, the soil organic matter (OM) tends to decline, the available nitrogen (AVN) and available phosphorus (ANP) tend to rise, while the available potassium (AVK) increases after an initial decline. Moreover, the further distance from the city center, the greater the spatial variation of SQ in space. These findings are not only helpful from a theoretical and practical significance for policy-makers to improve SQ in the outskirts of metropolitan areas, but also make an important contribution to the sustainable development of peri-urban agriculture (PUA). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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21 pages, 2796 KiB  
Article
Landscapes and Services in Peri-Urban Areas and Choice of Housing Location: An Application of Discrete Choice Experiments
by Biancamaria Torquati, Giulia Giacchè and Tiziano Tempesta
Land 2020, 9(10), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/land9100393 - 17 Oct 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3570
Abstract
The recent decades have witnessed a significant increase in the population in peri-urban areas which led to a progressive transformation of peri-urban landscapes, and the reduced ability of agriculture to provide ecosystem services. In order to understand the complex relationships established in peri-urban [...] Read more.
The recent decades have witnessed a significant increase in the population in peri-urban areas which led to a progressive transformation of peri-urban landscapes, and the reduced ability of agriculture to provide ecosystem services. In order to understand the complex relationships established in peri-urban areas between reference urban centre, urban services (US) and ecosystem services (ES), with particular attention to the landscape, a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) was carried out in the transitional peri-urban areas of six municipalities located near the city of Perugia (Italy). The two main goals of this study are analysing the effect of the presence of US and ES on the demand for housing, and exploring the implications in terms of peri-urban land use policy. The results highlight that the availability of some ES can have a significant impact on choice of housing location. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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23 pages, 4947 KiB  
Article
Effects of Urbanization on Farmland Size and Diversified Farm Activities in Japan: An Analysis Based on the Land Parcel Database
by Shingo Yoshida
Land 2020, 9(9), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/land9090315 - 04 Sep 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5672
Abstract
Peri-urban agriculture (PUA) has been widely regarded as a sub-field of multifunctional agriculture for improving the sustainability of urban environments. However, urban sprawl has both negative and positive effects on peri-urban farming, and the research on this issue in Japan is insufficient. This [...] Read more.
Peri-urban agriculture (PUA) has been widely regarded as a sub-field of multifunctional agriculture for improving the sustainability of urban environments. However, urban sprawl has both negative and positive effects on peri-urban farming, and the research on this issue in Japan is insufficient. This study aims to demonstrate the spatial distribution of farmland parcels in Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas and explore the synergistic effect of distance from cities and urban sprawl on the size of farmland parcels and farm-diversified activities such as direct marketing, farming experience, and environmentally friendly practices. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Poisson regression analyses were used with a nationwide agricultural land parcel Geographic Information System (GIS) database (Tokyo metropolitan area = 1,939,162 and Osaka metropolitan area = 1,507,072 parcels), in Japan, to specify the farmland locations and calculate the extent of urban sprawl. The results revealed that more than 50% of farmlands in the targeted areas were located within 4 km from the boundaries of densely inhabited districts (DIDs). Furthermore, with a decreasing distance from a DID, the urban sprawl had more positive effects on farmland parcel sizes and farm-diversified activities. These findings imply that PUA has a wider presence in Japan, and the peri-urban farmers may be capable of utilizing the multifunctional nature of intensively sprawled urban environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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20 pages, 3089 KiB  
Article
Managing Conflicts with Local Communities over the Introduction of Renewable Energy: The Solar-Rush Experience in Japan
by Noriko Akita, Yasuo Ohe, Shoko Araki, Makoto Yokohari, Toru Terada and Jay Bolthouse
Land 2020, 9(9), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/land9090290 - 23 Aug 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5323
Abstract
A worldwide introduction of renewable energy has been required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Concomitantly, this has caused conflict between renewable energy development and local communities over landscape changes. This study aims to clarify the factors of conflict and find a way of [...] Read more.
A worldwide introduction of renewable energy has been required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Concomitantly, this has caused conflict between renewable energy development and local communities over landscape changes. This study aims to clarify the factors of conflict and find a way of conflict management. A case study on Japan is used, where a solar rush occurred due to the feed-in tariff (FIT) system. We analyze the public reasons to worry about renewable energy and the spatial characteristics of its locations. A socio-spatial approach is used by first utilizing a qualitative survey based on questionnaires and interviews with the local governments to understand the awareness regarding the issues, and then utilizing a quantitative survey on the location changes to solar power by using GIS. The results suggest that there were links between local governments’ concerns and the location of solar power concentration. These results show that conflicts over renewable energy are not unavoidable and may be managed by local governments that can act as intermediaries with sufficient knowledge of the local communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Peri-Urban Agriculture)
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