The Dualistic Model of European Agriculture - a Theoretical Framework for the Endogenous Development

The European model of agriculture refers to a multifunctional and virtuous model of agriculture that is progressively substituting the productivist model of agriculture, that, in the recent past, has been supported by agricultural community policies. However, the European model of agriculture comprises heterogeneous realities and economic actors characterised by different local conducts. Schematizing this model, we can distinguish two agriculture typologies: modernised agriculture and traditional agriculture. In this article, we will develop a theoretical framework which encompasses the different patterns of endogenous development in both agriculture typologies. Through this article, we aim to create the theoretical basis necessary to undertake the study of the dualistic model of European agriculture.endogenous rural development, european model of agriculture, traditional agriculture, modern agriculture, multifunctionality

Reswitching of Techniques in the Modern Agriculture: a Theoretical Background

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has resolved, at least in Europe, United States and Japan, the thousand year-old problem of the lack of food. Unfortunately, during the last years the environmental limits of such an agriculture clearly exploded. Through our contribution we define the concepts of traditional and modernized styles of farming. We also hypothesize three future scenarios for modernized agriculture. We shall study in particular the “return of techniques” scenario that foresees the conversion to sustainability through the return of traditional techniques. In order to analyze this scenario, we shall introduce the Sraffian framework of the “reswitching of techniques” from the neo-ricardian theory (Sraffa 1960). Sraffa, within the “reswitching” framework, pointed out that a low-capital-intensive technique may be competitive both at a relatively low and high rate of profit. Finally, we shall show that, at least theoretically, it is possible that traditional agricultural techniques could be convenient in a context of both low and high profit level.styles of farming, modern agriculture, traditional agriculture, reswitching of techniques

The future of modernized agriculture and the return of traditional techniques

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has resolved, at least in Europe and in the United States, the thousand year-old problem of the lack of food. Unfortunately, during the last years the limits of such an agriculture clearly exploded. The modernized agriculture, in fact, produces negative externalities and it does not assure food safety. Through our contribution we hypothesize three future scenarios for modernized agriculture. We shall study in particular the one that foresees the conversion to sustainability through the return of traditional techniques. In order to analyze the problem, we shall introduce the Sraffian framework of the “re-switching of techniques”. Finally we shall build an original and new model of “reswitching” for the short period. The aim of our work is to show that, at least theoretically, it is possible that a traditional agricultural technique could be convenient in a context of both low and high profit level.Re-switching of techniques, modernized agriculture, sustainable development

Future scenarios of the modernized agriculture and a Sraffian framework for the “return of techniques” scenario

Rural areas in Europe are characterized by several agricultural models and paths. We can schematically divide them in two typologies of agriculture: the modernized and the traditional agriculture. The first typology is characterized by agricultural techniques of production pervaded by industrial (or modernized) elements and values. It is based on the most fertile soils of the European rural areas. The modernized agriculture has also reached elevated levels of productivity but it lacks in socio-environmental terms (i.e. biodiversity losses). The traditional agriculture, instead, has his base on the less favored areas and it is an unintentional keeper of traditional and virtuous techniques and elements (i.e. crop rotation and local genetic resources). It is such because it does not accept exogenous elements (i.e. mountainous agriculture where mechanization is applied with low efficiency/effectiveness) and it has therefore remained excluded from the processes of industrialization. The weak point of traditional agriculture, which has caused its decline, is the economic inefficiency. It is however an unknowing producer of positive externalities (i.e. safe food, local genetic resources, landscape). In our paper we try to assess the hypothesis of the return of traditional elements and techniques in the modernized agriculture. In order to analyze the problem, we shall introduce the theoretical framework of the “re-switching of techniques” from the neo-ricardian theory (Sraffa 1960). Sraffa, within the “re-switching” framework, pointed out that a low-capital-intensive technique may be competitive both at a relatively low and high rate of profit. Finally, after we have shown two examples of economic models of “re-switching of techniques”, we shall build an example of “re-switching” for the short period and an original example with multiple-switching points.Re-switching of techniques, modernized agriculture, traditional agriculture, sustainable development

The Dualistic Model of European Agriculture: a Theoretical Framework for the Endogenous Development

The European model of agriculture refers to a multifunctional andvirtuous model of agriculture that is progressively substituting the productivistmodel of agriculture, that, in the recent past, has been supported by agriculturalcommunity policies. However, the European model of agriculture comprisesheterogeneous realities and economic actors characterised by different localconducts. Schematizing this model, we can distinguish two agriculturetypologies: modernised agriculture and traditional agriculture. In this article, wewill develop a theoretical framework which encompasses the different patternsof endogenous development in both agriculture typologies. Through this article,we aim to create the theoretical basis necessary to undertake the study of thedualistic model of European agriculture

Reswitching of Techniques in the Modern Agriculture: a Theoretical Background

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has resolved, at least inEurope, United States and Japan, the thousand year-old problem of the lack of food.Unfortunately, during the last years the environmental limits of such an agricultureclearly exploded. Through our contribution we define the concepts of traditionaland modernized styles of farming. We also hypothesize three future scenarios formodernized agriculture. We shall study in particular the “return of techniques”scenario that foresees the conversion to sustainability through the return oftraditional techniques. In order to analyze this scenario, we shall introduce theSraffian framework of the “reswitching of techniques” from the neo-ricardiantheory (Sraffa 1960). Sraffa, within the “reswitching” framework, pointed out that alow-capital-intensive technique may be competitive both at a relatively low andhigh rate of profit. Finally, we shall show that, at least theoretically, it is possiblethat traditional agricultural techniques could be convenient in a context of both lowand high profit level

The future of modernized agriculture and the return of traditional techniques

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has resolved, at least in Europe and in the United States, the thousand year-old problem of the lack of food. Unfortunately, during the last years the limits of such an agriculture clearly exploded. The modernized agriculture, in fact, produces negative externalities and it does not assure food safety. Through our contribution we hypothesize three future scenarios for modernized agriculture. We shall study in particular the one that foresees the conversion to sustainability through the return of traditional techniques. In order to analyze the problem, we shall introduce the Sraffian framework of the “re-switching of techniques”. Finally we shall build an original and new model of “reswitching” for the short period. The aim of our work is to show that, at least theoretically, it is possible that a traditional agricultural technique could be convenient in a context of both low and high profit level

The future of modernized agriculture and the return of traditional techniques

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has resolved, at least in Europe and in the United States, the thousand year-old problem of the lack of food. Unfortunately, during the last years the limits of such an agriculture clearly exploded. The modernized agriculture, in fact, produces negative externalities and it does not assure food safety. Through our contribution we hypothesize three future scenarios for modernized agriculture. We shall study in particular the one that foresees the conversion to sustainability through the return of traditional techniques. In order to analyze the problem, we shall introduce the Sraffian framework of the “re-switching of techniques”. Finally we shall build an original and new model of “reswitching” for the short period. The aim of our work is to show that, at least theoretically, it is possible that a traditional agricultural technique could be convenient in a context of both low and high profit level