Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 7
High nature value farming: environmental
practices for rural sustainability
1
University of National and World Economy, Sofia (Peneva_mm@yahoo.co.uk);
2
Institute
for the Study of Societies and Knowledge, Sofia;
3
University of Évora;
4
AGROCAMPUS
OUEST, Rennes
Introduction
This chapter focuses on possible transition pathways towards sustainable agriculture
through an understanding of the environmental, social, cultural and economic advantages of
'high nature value farming' (HNVF) and its implications for European regions. The overall
objective is to explore how the implementation of various traditional agricultural practices
aimed at nature protection and biodiversity conservation in high nature value (HNV) areas
(primarily Natura 2000 sites) may lead to regional sustainability of agriculture and rural
areas. HNVF is seen not only as an environmental solution but also as having a broader
impact on the economic and social sustainability of agriculture and rural development at the
regional level.
After the Second World War, rapid change towards productivist agriculture began to
emerge in Europe and beyond. Productivist agriculture has been characterized as large-
scale, intensive, industrially-based and expansionist, strongly supported by the state and
primarily oriented towards increased productivity (Lowe
et al.
, 1993; Wilson, 2001;
Burton, 2004). These changes were economically driven and established the current
dominant productivist agricultural regime. However, productivist agriculture came with
considerable associated environmental costs and negative impacts on rural regions. These
included: overproduction, environmental pollution, biodiversity decline and landscape
change, a reduction in farming jobs, rural exodus and the abandonment of many rural areas.
By concentrating production (economically and spatially), these trends have also
created a polarized distribution of protection - and production-oriented landscapes in rural
areas - the latter often having significant impact on the environment, on local rural
economies, and on food quality and safety. Furthermore, this has led to a loss of much of
the social meaning associated with farming and farmers in rural communities. A need
emerged for greater understanding of the circumstances of peripheral rural areas, which
required: (i) new approaches and innovations; (ii) new roles for farming; and (iii) new
farming identities. At the same time consumer awareness regarding food quality and safety
grew, together with rising demand for agricultural commodities in emerging markets and
the inclusion, within European Union (EU) rural development and food quality policies, of
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