Diversification in peri-urban agriculture: a case study in the Ruhr metropolitan region

Abstract

Farm diversification is of growing importance for European farmers to stabilize and/or increase their income, especially in urban and peri-urban areas. This article identifies determinants of the uptake and intensity of on-farm non-agricultural diversification such as agritourism activities, on-farm processing and direct sales activities in the Ruhr metropolitan region in Germany based on a survey among 156 farms. Results from our hurdle model confirm a high share of diversified farms in the Ruhr metropolitan region, often with more than one diversification activity. We find that environmental, farm and farmer characteristics can have distinctive effects on the farmers' diversification decision and the farmers' decision on the diversification intensity. Younger, risk seeking farmers with secured farm succession and less productive soils are more likely to choose on-farm non-agricultural diversification. Additionally, we find that diversification intensity is positively influenced by proximity to urban areas, as well as a specialization on high value crops and the usage of extension service consultancy.

Agri-urban patterns in Mediterranean urban regions: the case study of Pisa

“…The interest in identifying agri-urban patterns can be understood by two well-contrasted models of monocentric and polycentric city in line with what Meraner et al (2018) argue. In the former, the city extends towards its periphery.…”

“…They can be the target of specific planning measures, which can favour for example, young agricultural entrepreneurs oriented to alternative food networks, leisure both in terms of access to water for irrigation, small buildings, access to fields, regulating land market and so forth. Zasada et al (2013) and Meraner et al (2018) described the growing horsekeeping in the urban fringe of Berlin and underlined that urban fringe is particularly attractive for farm diversification activities. Finally, rural agricultural patterns are those where the agricultural functions are higher and the constraints related to urban proximity less important.…”

“…For this reason, some conservation tools as the land conservation tools have not proven to be efficient in maintaining active farming in urban regions (Abrantes et al, 2016;Brabec & Smith, 2002). In this direction, the development of food planning in European cities (Morgan, 2015) is an opportunity for farmers to find alternatives markets in urban regions, such as alternative food networks (Meraner et al, 2018;Renting et al, 2003), food public procurement (Filippini, De Noni, et al, 2018) and farmers's market (Beckie et al, 2012). Agri-urban patterns could also support food planning in order to find proper strategies and solutions to feed the city and according to the structure of agricultural land within continuous or fragmented urban areas.…”

Industry convergence as a strategy for achieving sustainable development of agricultural complex: The case of Sandun‐Lanli in China

“…Because of the regional variation of the multifunctional agriculture, there are several empirical studies exploring the development of multifunctional agriculture in various countries. Meraner et al (2018) find that in Germany, the decision to pursue nonagricultural diversification of farms in areas such as agritourism and product processing and the intensity of this effort is positively affected by farmers' characteristics and their attitude towards risk; the authors further elaborate that younger farmers with higher risk‐taking preferences are more likely to choose to conduct agricultural diversification and that their diversification intensity is positively influenced by their adjacency to urban areas and specialization in high‐value crops and the usage of extension service consultancy. Sharpley and Vass (2006) conducted a survey on farmers' attitudes and agritourism in north eastern England.…”

“…The term "multifunctional agriculture" can be used interchangeably with "agricultural diversification" in most cases (Renting et al, 2009). However, agricultural diversification has a more detailed definition that uses agricultural resources (i.e., land, labour, and capital) and is not concentrated on conventional crops and livestock to obtain income; however, the resources are allocated to other nonagriculture activities, including agritourism, providing social service, equestrian businesses, energy production, processing, and direct sales activities (Hjalager, 1996;Meraner, Pölling, & Finger, 2018).…”