Projects / Programmes
Spatial limitation of farms within settlements
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.12.00 |
Humanities |
Geography |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S230 |
Social sciences |
Social geography |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.07 |
Social Sciences |
Social and economic geography |
rural geography, geography of agriculture, spatial planning, rural planning, spatial limitation of farms, agricultural policy, family farms, food security, Slovenia
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
28438 |
PhD Nika Razpotnik Visković |
Geography |
Head |
2014 - 2016 |
0 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The United Nations have declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming. Their goal is to position family farming in the centre of the national agricultural, environmental and social policy planning. The European Commission is joining this initiative because it recognizes the important role of family farms in providing safe and quality food. The predictions of agricultural experts that the competitive global market economy will lead to complete industrialisation of farming have not come true. Quite the contrary – the transformation of farming from the productivism, which is based on commercialisation, concentration and industrialisation, towards the post-productivism, which is based on diversification, dispersion and extensification, led to the strengthening of the importance of family farming.
Subject of this research is spatial limitation of farms - one of the main agricultural spatial challenges, which arises when farms due to lack of free land cannot expand their outbuildings and consequently cannot increase their production. Spatial limitation affects the development potential of farms, since it impedes production growth, as well as worsens the accessibility of agricultural land; causes social tensions within settlements; changes the identity of the rural landscapes and reduces the interest of young people for farming. Changes in the social and political attitude towards the agriculture and simultaneous diversification of rural areas have contributed to the fact that farms are often treated as intruders within settlements, while their activities are seen as disruptive for the local population. Nevertheless, this topic has not yet been systematically researched. The time dynamics as well as the factors that have influenced this process are still unknown. These factors can be either external (deriving from physical geographical and broader social, economic and political circumstances) or internal (deriving from changes within the farm itself or its agricultural household).
The research will analyse time dynamics of changes that led to farm limitation. It will study physical and normative aspect of spatial limitation, determine internal and external factors that contributed to the current spatial situation of farms and finally evaluate the measures foreseen as solutions for this challenge. The policy recommendations for agricultural and spatial decision makers will transfer new scientific findings into practice.
From the scientific point of view the research will upgrade our knowledge about contemporary spatial and social processes in rural and urban areas. It will also encourage further discussion about the spatial position of Slovene family farms, the transformation of their role within settlements, and the existent and potential adjustment strategies for their survival. The limitation of farms within settlements is an internationally relevant research topic; therefore we anticipate that results of this project as well as its methodology will be of interest also to foreign researchers.
Significance for science
The spatial constraints of farms in Slovenia is an issue that has not yet been systematically studied, even though this is an important developmental aspect of agriculture, which is also being highlighted by experts in spatial planning, agricultural economics, and geography. The originality of the results is guaranteed by the subject studied, as well as by the methodological approach to the research issue (how to measure a farm’s spatial constraints, which data sources to use for this, and how to compare the results). The results shed additional light on the understanding of the complex relationship between urbanization and agriculture, which until now has primarily focused on how urbanization encroaches on productive farmland and changes the socioeconomic structure of farms, and less on limiting or reducing the amount of productive farmland within settlements. The study thus contributed further to the understanding of the spatial and social processes in rural and urban settlements, which is key to resolving or at least reducing land-use conflicts. It stimulated discussion on the spatial situation of (Slovenian) family farms, the transformation of their role in rural settlements, and the current and potential adjustment strategies for their survival, and it analyzed the concrete experiences of farmers, advisory services, spatial planning institutions, and spatial users in general. It provided new findings in spatial planning, especially with regard to how the future development of rural settlement should be directed, while taking into account the needs of modern farming. The project results will serve as an expert basis for: – Developing starting points, guidelines, and recommendations for designing and positioning farm structures and outbuildings in the landscapes; – Preparing proposals and recommendations for resolving spatial conflicts both in terms of prevention (raising public awareness) and additional guidelines for preparing local spatial plans. These will be developed as part of the target research project “Umesˇcˇanje kmetijskih objektov v krajino in resˇevanje prostorskih konfliktov” (Siting of farm buildings in the landscape context and solving spatial conflicts) co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food.
Significance for the country
The research topic was proposed in 2014, during the International Year of Family Farming, which was proclaimed in order to once again place family farming at the center of agricultural, environmental, and social policies, and national plans. The results presented correspond to these efforts and, first and foremost, they can be used as an expert basis for further action at the normative (legislative), advisory, and executive levels. Knowledge about the characteristics, dynamics, and reasons for spatial constraints, and the current methods of dealing with this challenge directly relates to the issues of coexistence and conflicts between various land uses, the ecosystem and landscape-forming functions of farming, quality of life in rural areas, and food security. Accordingly, this study indirectly contributes to improving the economic conditions in agriculture and, by improving living conditions and spatial quality, it also helps improve social conditions. It will contribute to more effective risk management on developmentally promising farms, connected with the potential to expand and modernize production. Appropriately positioning farm structures (with sufficient room, appropriate infrastructure access to farmland, access to water sources, and so on) improves the management of farms, increasing their competitiveness. The economic potential has a positive effect on farm succession and the tendencies to modernize farm production and introduce innovations, thereby indirectly strengthening the production potential of Slovenian agriculture. It will also help reduce conflicts in settlements and more effectively resolve the discrepancies in spatial planning that occur between various services. Providing an opportunity to expand farms’ production areas is thus an important factor not only from the viewpoint of the survival and future development of farming, but also for improving the quality of life for all rural residents (and visitors). Improving conditions for the spatial coexistence of agriculture and non-agricultural activities is also important for increasing trust in local agricultural production and subsequently shortening the path that food travels from farmers to consumers. Preserving vigorous farming in Slovenia means conserving areas with characteristic cultural landscape elements, which, due to their diversity and meaningfulness, are appreciated as an important value that needs to be maintained. The Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Food has also acknowledged the importance of the research project’s results. Together with the Slovenian Research Agency, it funds the target research project “Positioning Farm Structures in the Landscape and Resolving Spatial Conflicts” in order to make a step forward by preparing concrete proposals and recommendations for more effective resolution of spatial conflicts in terms of both prevention (raising the public’s awareness) and additional guidelines for preparing local spatial plans. This preparation actively involves key spatial planning stakeholders (i.e., ministries, municipalities, nature parks, the Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry, its regional units, and designers).
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2014,
2015,
final report
