| Titre : | Agroecology as a systemic orientation of farming systems: evidence from an environmentally protected area (2026) |
| Auteurs : | G. Timpanaro ; V.T. Foti |
| Type de document : | Article |
| Dans : | Agricultural systems (vol. 237, August 2026) |
| Article en page(s) : | p. 104839 |
| Langues : | Anglais |
| Langues du résumé : | Anglais |
| Catégories : |
Catégories principales 06 - AGRICULTURE. FORÊTS. PÊCHES ; 6.4 - Production Agricole. Système de ProductionThésaurus IAMM SYSTEME DE PRODUCTION ; AGROECOLOGIE ; ITALIE |
| Résumé : |
PURPOSE: Agroecology is increasingly promoted as a pathway for transforming farming systems toward sustainability, yet its empirical operationalisation often remains confined to specific agronomic practices or certification schemes. This study conceptualises agroecology as a systemic orientation of farming systems rather than a binary label and develops a multidimensional Agroecological Orientation Index (AOI) to operationalise this perspective empirically.
METHODS: Using original survey data from 106 farms operating within Sicily's Valli Fluviali dell'Etna (Italy), an environmentally protected area characterised by high ecological value and institutional constraints, the AOI integrates three interrelated dimensions: ecological-productive coherence, territorial and social embeddedness, and governance and knowledge orientation. The robustness of the index is assessed through a comprehensive analytical strategy combining principal component analysis, cluster analysis, regression models, and multi-criteria decision analysis based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process. RESULTS: Results reveal substantial heterogeneity in agroecological orientation (AOI range: 0.361-0.917) and a significant overlap between organic and non-organic farms, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Four distinct farm typologies are identified, highlighting alternative configurations of ecological practices, territorial relations, and governance engagement. Territorial embeddedness emerges as the most influential dimension of agroecological orientation, followed by governance and ecological-productive practices, while structural farm characteristics explain only a marginal share of the observed variance. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the AOI across alternative weighting schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the findings demonstrate that agroecological orientation extends beyond certification status and is shaped primarily by management choices, territorial relations, and governance engagement. By framing agroecology as an emergent property of farming systems, this study provides an empirical tool for analysing agroecological transitions and identifying differentiated pathways of farming system transformation. |
| Cote : | En ligne |
| URL / DOI : | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104839 |
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