Granvik, Madeleine
- Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2012Peer reviewed
Prospects of multifunctional agriculture as a facilitator of sustainable Rural Development: Swedish experience of Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Granvik, Madeleine; Lindberg, Gunnar; Stigzelius, Karl-Anders; Fahlbeck, Erik; Surry, Yves Rene
Abstract
Agriculture remains one of the dominant activities in rural areas across the European Union (EU), not least in respect of land use and its impact on landscapes. The Agenda 2000 reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) introduced rural development as an integrated part of agricultural policy. The present study focuses on the second pillar of CAP. Multifunctional farming, more than any other rural activity, has a role to play in integrating the natural environment with the cultural landscape and socio-economic development. The question of how multifunctional agriculture can facilitate sustainable rural development is addressed in terms of mechanisms and inherent possibilities. Results from a case study in O¨ stergo¨tland in Sweden are discussed in relation to five other European case studies. Some main findings are that Pillar 2 has made it possible for rural inhabitants to continue living in rural areas and that the policies are effective in identifying and supporting new opportunities for farm diversification. The traditional agricultural landscape can be seen as a key component in various diversification activities in rural areas, contributing to economic as well as social and environmental sustainability.
Published in
Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift / Norwegian Journal of Geography
2012, Volume: 66, number: 3, pages: 155-166
Stigzelius, Karl-Anders
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Fahlbeck, Erik
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Surry, Yves
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
SLU Authors
Sustainable Development Goals
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
UKÄ Subject classification
Economics
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2012.681684
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/42263