Gestione dell’abbandono dei seminativi italiani in aree svantaggiate

In this paper we address a reflection on the nature of the issues of abandonment of field crops in the Less Favoured Areas (LFA). Starting from the description of some emblematic
dynamics of field crops in LFA and the related environmental implications, we propose
new responsive models and show the open issues for scientific research. The paper
refers to Italy in the context of EU agricultural dynamics and rural development policies
and is organised in three sections: in the first section we propose the analysis of the transition
on the basis of statistical data and a description of the approaches that supported
the current rural development policies in LFA. The second section briefly discuss the environmental
implications of abandonment of field crops, particularly on biodiversity and
ecosystem services. The third section proposes a framework for interpreting the drivers
of abandonment and a final reflection on development policies, agricultural innovation
systems and implications for research in LFA. The core message of the paper is centred
on the need of framing the abandonment of field crops as an emergent property of the
Gestione dell’abbandono dei seminativi italiani in aree svantaggiate 167
lack of favourable environment and social learning spaces in LFA. There is a clear need
of focusing intervention policies on the quality of interaction processes among stakeholders
(e.g. farmers, policy makers and researchers) so that new scientific and technologic
knowledge can be integrated with lay knowledge of potential users, in order to foster the
local adaptation capacities to environmental change.