Pastoral landscapes are farmed in many different ways, reflecting the variety of pasture and livestock types (breeds of cattle, sheep and goats) in Europe. Some farming systems make use mainly of grasslands that may be sown or semi-natural vegetation. Others exploit pastures of shrubs, for example heather moorland is a...

Looks at solidarity purchasing groups in Tuscany as an example of consumer intiated alternative food networks.

This report presents findings and recommendations from a five-year national project – Mapping Local Food Webs – to engage local volunteers across England to research their local food ‘webs’: the network of links between people who buy, sell, produce and supply food sourced locally.

A journey in "Le Conche", farm of the young Calabrian farmer Vincenzo Sposato: his passion for the job, the relationship with the family, friendship and his future plans. The story focuses on the innovations brought by Vincenzo who having inherited a traditional olive trees farm,  in a few years turned...

Cascina Barosi is a farm completely run by women. Cascina Barosi is a journey backwards, from big cities to the countryside. Benedetta, from Milan, managed a farm near Cremona. The film recounts his relationship with technology, enabling her to remotely control to the work on the farm, succeeding so to...

The film tells the special relationship of Matteo Bolognesi with agriculture: original, organic and biodynamic, but without giving up technology. With small investments from the Rural Development Programme of his region, has created a niche market in which he is producing essential oils, lavender, rosemary, spices for the well-being and...

8 % of the total EU population lives in mountainous areas which represent a particularly important eco-region in Central Europe. Because of ecological, climatic and economic reasons an increasing pressure is imposed upon agriculture. Hence in large parts of European mountainous areas drastic changes in agricultural structure and land use...

European farmers and food producers have a reputation for producing a diverse range of high quality products. Beyond the legal requirements, there are additional aspects of product quality, which are also valued by consumers, e.g. the use of traditional farming methods in production. Agricultural product quality policy forms part of...

In the past decade, both worldwide and in Croatia, there has been an increased interest in the production of organic products. This is the result of several factors. The most important elements of the organic food industry are linking agriculture and tourism, improving overall tourism, increasing consumer concerns for health,...

The conference was organised by the University of Agriculture in Krakow, the Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, the Malopolska Association of Agricultural Extension Services, the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów (Branch Office in Krakow) and the Office of the Member of...

In recent years Italy has seen a vital, if spontaneous and rather piecemeal, growth in short food supply chains at the local level. Such a phenomenon is of considerable interest since it responds to a number of needs and opportunities, both of farmers and consumers. Short supply food chains in...

In recent years small farms have received increased attention in the political debate, recognizing the role they play in rural areas and the need to improve their economic and social conditions in times of structural change of the agricultural sector towards fewer and larger farms. However, the wide variation in...

Taking action on biodiversity is of paramount importance given that species and habitats continue to be lost at an alarming rate both within Europe and around the world. Nature’s ‘free’ services are the foundation of our societies and economies, providing us with clean air, water, food, fibre, fuel and healthy...

The study analyses the structure and economic performance of small-scale coastal fisheries (SSF) in Europe. Eighteen main clusters within SSF are identified and their distribution by NUTS-2 region is presented. The contribution of SSF in terms of income and employment to the economies of the NUTS-2 regions is also assessed....

A global shift towards an agriculture that builds up organic matter in the soil would also put us on a path to removing some of the other major sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the food system.

Une étude typologique de l’élevage pastoral des petits ruminants dans les régions arides tunisiennes a permis d’illustrer les impacts des mutations socio économiques sur les structures et le fonctionnement technique du secteur. Les données issues de 180 enquêtes auprès des troupeaux de 4 gouvernorats du sud ont été analysées par...

The study analyses the structure and economic performance of small-scale coastal fisheries (SSF) in Europe. Eighteen main clusters within SSF are identified and their distribution by NUTS-2 region is presented. The contribution of SSF in terms of income and employment to the economies of the NUTS-2 regions is also assessed....

Mountain farming in Europe is based mainly on ruminant livestock and utilization of locally produced forage resources by grazing and hay. Farmland extends from mountains in the eastern Mediterranean to the Atlantic coast, with major areas at the highest elevations in central Europe, thus encompassing wide variation in geology, soil,...

Luxembourg, like other countries, contains forest owners who have inherited their forest land but they themselves are not involved in professional forestry. These types of forest owners may tend to leave their forest alone and not manage them. An INTERREG project helped to identify such ''passive'' forest owners and Leader funds...

The socio-economic frame-conditions of land-use change in the Alps are diverse, as is the adaptation of agriculture. Generally, the Alpine space is a land of meadows and pastures. This is a result of developments on the European agricultural market and a better economic context for the production of milk and...