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| Home > Articles > Published articles > Where have all the farmers gone? Spatial-temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona |
| Home > Articles > Published articles > Where have all the farmers gone? Spatial-temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona |
(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)| Date: | 2026 |
| Abstract: | Urban expansion exerts pressure on peri-urban agriculture, leading to the displacement of agricultural activities and a loss of local food provision and vital ecosystem services. This study examines the spatial-temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, a region that has experienced significant agricultural decline in recent decades. Employing a social-ecological-technological approach, we combine spatial analysis of land use changes from 2003 to 2015 with qualitative insights from interviews and workshops with stakeholders. Our results reveal that the decline of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona is driven by a complex interplay of social, ecological, and technological factors. Key drivers include real-estate speculation, land fragmentation, infrastructure development, and evolving land use policies, alongside ecological pressures from both land abandonment and environmental protection. Despite efforts to preserve agricultural spaces, the decline of peri-urban farming remains significant. We argue that a revaluation of agricultural activities in peri-urban areas is essential to alter and reverse this trend. Recognizing the multifunctionality of peri-urban agriculture, particularly its role in resilience and food system sustainability, is crucial. Our findings contribute to the broader discourse on urban resilience and sustainable land use planning, offering pathways for policy interventions aimed at preserving and enhancing peri-urban agricultural systems. |
| Grants: | European Commission 818002 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades CEX2019-000940-M) Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-00734 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-00182 |
| Note: | Altres ajuts: Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2024-001506-M |
| Rights: | Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.  |
| Language: | Anglès |
| Document: | Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada |
| Subject: | Land use change ; Peri-urban agriculture ; Social-ecological-technological systems ; Sustainable transitions ; Urban resilience |
| Published in: | Ecology and society, Vol. 31, Num. 1 (March 2026) , art. 35, ISSN 1708-3087 |
