Towards a rurality that promotes social and environmental quality.

摘要

In wealthy societies and economies, the diminishing importance of the agricultural sector versus the other sectors and the increasing demand for environmental services entail a new concept of rurality. This paper explores whether it is correct to prefigure that modern agriculture will learn to cultivate environmental quality in rural territories. From a certain point of view, the socioeconomic processes actually in place indicate that rural development will aim at a deeper consideration of such quality. But from another point of view, the present rural sector and legislative situation actually show how the rural socioeconomic system faces a substantial difficulty in recognizing and exploiting this opportunity. It is argued that only a scientific reflection and a political activity more attentive towards the environment will ensure a modern and more mature rural planning activity that is able to valorize environmental quality..