A Methodological Approach to Upscale Toward an Agroecology System in EU-LAFSs: The Case of the Parma Bio-District

The increasing interest in bio-districts is part of the debate on the capacity to integrate\r\nagri-food systems and territory in order to improve the quality of life in rural communities. Considering\r\nthe goals of developing and promoting an innovative territorial rural development approach, the\r\nbio-district can become a process toward a more sustainable model represented by the agroecological\r\nagriculture system. The paper presents a case study of the Parma bio-district through the approach of a\r\nLocalized Agri Food System (LAFS) to verify whether bio-districts can be a tool for scaling up towards\r\nagroecology. Stakeholder classification and analysis are conducted using an influence–interest matrix.\r\nWe identified four groups of stakeholders in relation to their interests and power to influence the\r\nprocess. In the case of the Parma bio-district the role of local institutions in dialogue with consumers\r\nand producers’ associations is crucial for success. We conclude that bio-districts can be a tool for a\r\nscaling-up towards agroecology since they can facilitate a synergetic relation between organic and\r\nagroecological agriculture, spreading organic agriculture more widely around the local area. However,\r\nthe involvement of a wide variety of dierent stakeholders means that governance is a key element in\r\nfacilitating “cross fertilization” and preventing the process from becoming purely formulaic.