Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
horizontal policy tool aiming, in this case, to increase the territorial competitiveness of the
region by promoting sustainable exploitation of local natural resources. This was to be
achieved through the promotion of traditional local non-wood forest products as a way of
associating nature conservation and a system of production, which develops the region, and
by promoting the amenities and multiple-use of the Montado extensive land use system.
The range of actors involved in the conception and evolution of the three initiatives varies
considerably. In Bulgaria it consists of farmers, BSPB and representatives of the local
offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Advisory Services. In France new entrants and,
later, established farmers, authorities at the municipality and community of municipalities
levels, RNP officers, Chamber of Agriculture and civil society participated. In Portugal, a
collaboration within the PROVERE project involving a total of 97 partners (2009),
including producers exploring non-wood forest products, producers' associations, local and
regional NGOs, local action groups (LAGs), enterprises and business associations,
municipalities, conservation institutions, research institutions and universities were
involved.
The time span of the three initiatives also varies, as the French case is the most
longstanding (having started in the 1980s). This enabled it to run through the four phases of
the transition process proposed by Rotmans and Loorbach (2010). These include:
predevelopment of the niche, with the setting up of new entrants on municipal land with the
support of mayors; the development of networking at the local and regional level s,
establishing an experimental (specific) policy instrument after the reform of the CAP
(1992) (take-off phase); and the widespread adoption of agri-environmental policy
(acceleration phase). However, the last phase (stabilization) was not completed because the
environmental problem has largely been resolved and the local network has therefore
become weak and in some respects unstable. The other two initiatives are more recent: the
HNVF initiative in Bulgaria started in 2008; and in Portugal the preparation process started
in 2007 following the approval of the PROVERE project but the official start was not until
2009. Therefore, it is difficult to discern any long-term impacts of the last two initiatives
and the comparison within this chapter is focused on the take-off phase for all three
initiatives.
In the three case studies, a key policy instrument was agri-environmental measures.
The distinction between the actors involved and time scale of the initiatives determines
differences in the design, implementation and diverse impacts on the regional and local
level of the measures, as well as the approach of the transition process. In the Saint Amarin
Valley, the transition was a bottom-up process where adoption and implementation of agri-
ecological practices led to the designation of the territory as an HNV area. In the
Bessaparski Hills, the specific requirements and natural constraints were imposed through
national environmental legislation and policy, as top-down restrictions. In Bulgaria, agri-
environmental measures concerning HNV grasslands were designed at the national level,
and were not focused exclusively on, or adapted to, the area of the Bessaparski Hills. This
contrasts with the French case, where measures regarding the improvement of pastures
were developed at regional level and implementation was delegated to local mayors. With
regard to the Portuguese municipalities, both bottom-up and top-down initiatives took
place: the NGO (ADPM) was heavily involved in creating a shared strategic vision for the
region, one which paid attention to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
However, the notion of rural territorial development based on endogenous resources, and
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