The integration between Mediterranean Cities and agriculture in local projects: a conceptual framework

This research has been funded by the French National Agency for Research. DAUME project under n° ANR-2010-STRA-007-01The return of agriculture as a subject of debate in the realm of urban sustainable development is a recent phenomenon. Its presence is anchored in the recognition of the multifunctional role of agriculture and its importance in the conception and success of a more sustainable city. This study proposes a conceptual framework to analyse the socio-spatial integration between cities and agriculture in Mediterranean countries. The concept of integration is seen as a temporal process that articulates the actors, the spaces, and the resources linked by a project. Using a collection of local projects that explore the interactive dynamics of urban and agricultural relationships, the authors propose a conceptual framework, which reveals four aspects of socio-spatial integration. The first aspect encompasses socio-spatial integration through agricultural practices within the city. The second aspect includes integration processes through a pivotal actor playing as an interface between agriculture and the city. The third aspect concerns the flows and mobilities of resources and actors between cities and agricultural countryside. The fourth aspect deals with planning processes where the construction of networks of actors, spaces and resources are significant. These categories highlight the multidimensional processes of integration and the differentiated effects. The analysis is based on case studies situated in France, Italy, Portugal, Algeria, and Morocco.