La agricultura ecológica y su influencia en la prosperidad rural: visión desde una cooperativa agraria en Murcia, España.

Abstract

Ecological agriculture (EA) is a global tendency that seeks a natural and friendly relationship with the environment to promote plant and animal biodiversity. The debate of the EA in the face of conventional agriculture has been discussed internationally in numerous investigations. However, few studies have focused on tackling the effects of EA in relation with the concept of rural prosperity. This article analyzes, from a learning process of over 40 years of experience of an Agricultural Transformation Company (ATC), the relationship between EA and its influence on rural prosperity. The methodology applied is based on the Working With People (WWP) model, integrating the expert knowledge experimented through SAT’s actions. The experience is centered on one of Spain’s regions with the greatest crop surface dedicated to EA. Results show the effects that EA has on different dimensions of rural prosperity. The creation of trust and working with people are the main premises that help bring about rural prosperity and development with a vision of sustainability.