Fallow Land, Recession and Socio-Demographic Local Contexts: Recent Dynamics in a Mediterranean Urban Fringe

Abstract

Urban settlements have globally expanded into rural land. Being influenced by complex socio-environmental dynamics and sometimes acting as a reserve of economic value, fallow land has characterized rural areas in a distinctive way over the last decades. The present work debates on the role of fallow land as a component of Mediterranean peri-urban landscapes, considering together different aspects from environmental/agronomic and regional science perspectives. An empirical analysis of the latent relationship between spatial distribution of fallow land, agricultural landscape (land-use, territorial, and topographic characteristics), and urban sprawl was carried out in a representative Mediterranean case study (Athens, Greece) evidencing the possible linkage between urban growth/containment, conservation of rural biodiversity/local traditions, and fallow land (intended as a candidate source of buildable land) in fringe districts. Urban growth at the local scale was contrasted with the spatial distribution of fallow land under sequential expansions and recessions of the regional economic system. Conservation of marginal rural land in fringe districts—including fallow land—is a necessary target of any sustainable land management strategy in metropolitan contexts experiencing rapid socioeconomic transformations.

Barriers Affecting Sustainable Agricultural Productivity of Smallholder Farmers in the Eastern Free State of South Africa

“…This is a concern that needs to be addressed at high-level as future agricultural productivity will be hampered if there is low involvement of youth in agriculture, who are often more likely to adopt new technologies [17,39]. In some areas, this is evident as the area of fallow land is increasing with time [40]. The low involvement in farming by youth could be attributed to their emigration from rural to urban areas in search for better opportunities and lifestyles [38].…”

The Conical Stones Olive Oil Mill: Analysis through Computer-Aided Engineering

“…Thus, in order for each of them to move, it has a metallic axle that crosses it longitudinally and that at the outer end is connected by a flying structure (5) to the other three axes of the other three parts. This flying structure is connected by four horizontal axes to the vertical axle of the mill (6). Figure 3 shows the grinding system in the mill.…”

“…Olive oil is most appreciated for its innumerable health benefits and for its wide use in different gastronomies, mainly in Mediterranean culture. For this reason, the study and analysis of methods for improving various aspects related to the agriculture of the olive grove are more and more extended [1][2][3][4][5][6], since they directly affect the quality of this vegetable fat, the basis of the Mediterranean diet.…”

The Tower Press for Obtaining Olive Oil: Analysis through Computer-Aided Engineering

“…The tower ( 8) is made of granite and is free to move in the vertical direction thanks to a system of guides and rollers (6) housed in two trusses adjacent to the tower that form a guide structure (7) that guarantees the vertical movement of the tower. The lower part of the tower consists of a wooden frame (9) that has a double function: when there is no pressing, that is, in a resting situation (Figure 3a), this frame rests the weight of the tower on two pillars (2), and when there is pressing (Figure 3b), its weight acts on the basket load (15).…”