Understanding changes in rural landscape management: contributions from transition theory

Abstract

Rural landscapes are nowadays the support of a range of functions valued by society, from recreation and leisure to identity, preservation of resources and nature conservation. But they are primarily managed for production goals, through different farm systems. The rural landscape is now in between a complex set of drivers, not only as a space of production but also as a space of consumption and of protection In order to achieve an integrated balance between these goals, even in areas where farming system as are extensive and highly valued for the remaining functions, there is a need for a change in the land owners rationale. Otherwise, the territorial perspective of agriculture remains a theoretical concept, but no a guiding principle in reality. The contribution from a transition theory, developed to understand radical shift in different economic sectors, is a novel approach in understanding the changes taking place in management paradigms, and in assessing the potentialities and hinderings for a true transition to occur. In this lecture, the changes occurring in rural areas and in society expectations are presented.The transition theory is explained. Grounded in the farming systems and the rural landscape of the Alentejo region, new management arrangements as well as the conditions for their unfolding are presented. The evidence results from an European project,FarmPath (www.farmpath.eu), where the transition theory conceptual framework has been applied to study changes in agriculture towards higher sustainability.