TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT FROM SYAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article wants to go deeper into the debate about the relationship between SYAL and biodiversity conservation. This paper focuses on the potential of “territorial anchoring” and organic production in the Natural Protected Areas (NPA), defining them as instruments for the creation of sustainable rural development strategies. We have three main arguments: (1) organic production has become the best way to reduce pollution from agricultural sources and promote biodiversity in this kind of territories; (2) organic agriculture is the perfect platform to integrate local population into natural resource management; (3) and it is an interesting strategy to add value to low profitable and competitive goods. We will take as reference the case of Natural Park of Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas (Spain) to support these arguments. We will discuss this case of sustainable territorial development using the concept of SYAL. As a conclusion we can point out that this case has many elements to be considered a Localized AgriFood System (SYAL). Various strategies have been developed collectively rooting for this activity and link this certification in the natural and socio‐cultural characteristics of this territory. It has encouraged a regional development model supported by a generic certification through the incorporation of the differential values of the countryside where they are registered and the creation of an image associated with the positive environmental externalities that organic production generates. Finally, one of the main questions has been the establishment of initiatives between producers and consumers by the creation of short‐changes supplies