Agri-environmental policy and local development: a case study of Ribeira Sacra in Galicia (Spain)

Abstract

The new rural development paradigm focuses on local specificities as a means of generating new competitive advantages, such as environmental and cultural amenities or local products. The new paradigm also shifts from a sectoral to a territorial policy approach, integrating the various policies at regional and local levels. This paper reports results of a study carried out among wine producers in the Spanish region of Galicia. Producers were located in a marginal area where terraces make a characteristic landscape. We have studied the factors influencing farmers’ willingness to adopt agri-environmental practices for landscape conservation, as well as the interactions with other policies aimed at local economic promotion. Analysis from in-depth interviews and secondary data shows the importance of transaction costs for both the administration and the farmers. Therefore, we have identified synergies between simultaneous actions to promote agricultural production and landscape conservation.