Lo sviluppo rurale nel contesto pedemontano: la dimensione territoriale della 'nuova' agricoltura varesina

The thesis analyzes the role of the agricultural system in the Lombardy foothills context, in particular deepening the phenomena of growth and diversification of farms, referring to the paradigms of rural and local development. The aim of the research is to identify, starting from these peculiarities, the potential and the possible evolution of the role of agriculture in the development of the foothills territories, and in the Varese context in particular, investigating the relationship between the agricultural system and the territory, reframing the role of the territorial dimension of the economic development. Therefore, the research started with the review of the theoretical economic models that, by focusing on the territorial dimension of development, appear able to integrate new paradigms of rural development, recognizing, in the comparison between the different disciplinary approaches, the elements of convergence towards a 'territorialist' approach. The thesis then investigated the different methods of analysis of agricultural systems and rural areas and their outcomes in terms of classification of rural areas in Lombardy, comparing them with an analysis of the structural variables of the regional agricultural system. The case study in the Varese area was studied in greater depth, focusing on its specificity and in particular: deepening the dynamic aspects of change and evolution of the agricultural system, interpreting the 'return' to agriculture given by the increase of firms as a potential perspective; examining the role of multifunctionality both from the point of view of producing services related to agriculture and therefore of firm diversification, income integration and relations with other economic sectors, and with a view to producing common goods and ecosystem services, or rather considering the role of the territory in agricultural activity, but, on the contrary, the territory produced by agricultural activity; overcome the dichotomic approach between city and country, not only by identifying the peri-urban areas, but rather by recognizing the complex and integrated links between different places and landscapes that constitute, by virtue of their relationships, a single territorial system. In the end, the interpretative elements that emerged from the case study has been systematized and made it possible to recognize the possible roles of the territorial dimension in the Varese agricultural system and the potential for integrated development of the various “local farming systems”