Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Peri-Urban Agriculture: A Case Study of L’Horta de València, Spain

Peri-urban agriculture has an important role to play in processes to make cities sustainable. The general trend in urban areas all over the world is for their population increase [1, 2]. But at the same time, the increase of urban land or artificial land is much greater than the increase in the urban population. In addition, urban land increases by different kinds of urban sprawl meaning the forms of urban areas change from a compact area to a mosaic of urban-not urban uses. Here, there are agricultural areas between urban areas. These peri-urban areas have a very high potential to supply food directly to urban people living close by, that is, to provide a food ecosystem service. This service can be essential in specific situations of lack of food [3]. In other words, these areas are green infrastructures that are clearly important to generate sustainable cities. Urban areas are the biggest consumers of ecosystem services and producers of waste. A sustainable city can only exist if there is a balance between the ecosystem services produced (mainly in territories outside of the cities) and consumed (mainly in cities), and also an equilibrium between waste produced and waste recycled (in a natural or artificial way).

The lands suitable for agricultural production are only located in specific places with limited extensions. The location of these areas in the case of the Valencian Region was studied by Tomás [4] some 30 years ago. Mediterranean coasts have a specific hot and dry climate. So in places with water for irrigation, agricultural activities can be highly productive. However, in general, according to Rabelo et al. [5], in western Mediterranean areas, agricultural land use is decreasing. These places are very vulnerable to urban development. Spain in particular saw a sharp increase in urban development for tourism along its Mediterranean coast between 1960 and 2008 [6]. This development changed land uses in coastal areas often destroying natural ecosystems and agricultural areas. Only in exceptional cases was urban development stopped such as in Saler’s Devesa [7, 8]. These cases show that urban development processes are generally irreversible.

Green infrastructure includes land with uses that produce ecosystem services [9] for society and economic activities. Green infrastructure is Natural Capital, and agricultural areas are part of it [10]. Within this framework, the concept of agroecological food system [11] is a good tool to understand functions and analyze characteristics. Ecosystem services produced in cities or close to cities, and urban green infrastructures have been analysed by different authors like Van Teeffelen et al. [12], Jalkanen et al. [13] and Palliwoda et al. [14] among many others. Venter et al. [15] studied the possibilities of integrating urban and peri-urban green infrastructure into urban and regional planning, through green roofs. However, peri-urban agriculture is more suitable for Mediterranean coastal areas with water available. The possibilities of urban planning as a tool to protect and promote agricultural food systems have been studied by Wolfram [16] and Kassis et al. [17]. According to Wackernagle et al. [18], it is possible to decrease the ecological footprint of cities by improving ecosystem services produced for urban green infrastructure. In fact, one of the conclusions of the Living Planet Report 2020 [19] is that “land-use change due to where and how we produce food, is one of the biggest threats humans pose to biodiversity”.

L’Horta de València is an historical agriculture area around the city of València in Spain. It is a big area irrigated by water from the River Túria. The land agriculture that is protected, including a buffer around strict historical area and all kind of uses inside the perimeter (infrastructures, urban land, etc.) covers 63,400 ha. Many authors have studied very different aspects of this special historical landscape because this area and agricultural activity are very interesting from many points of view. Among the latest publications, Romero and Francés [20] coordinated a multidisciplinary study which analyzed the causes that explain the progressive disappearance of this historical space. L’Horta de València is a specific historical landscape that the Valencian population perceives as part of their identity that was the object of a “Popular Legislative Initiative” [21] in 2000 to protect it. Rodríguez Romero et al. [22] studied the case of Madrid’s peri-urban areas from this point of view. In the case of Valencia, the dynamics of the landscape’s changes have been studied by Temes and Moya [23, 24], Temes Córdovez et al. [25] and Melo [26]. An important part of this peri-urban landscape is the cultural heritage that was studied by Maya and Pla [27]. Romero and Melo [28] studied the real possibilities of regional planning as a tool to govern uses and protect peri-urban agricultural areas, and Melo [29] studied the role of these kinds of peri-urban spaces insides the metropolitan area of València. Marzal Raga [30] directed a study about the regulation of uses in this kind of space, i.e. peri-urban agricultural areas. They have a legal framework based on regional law as a part of land classified like non-developable land (i.e., lands urban plans require to remain undeveloped). But obviously, to protect an agricultural area inside a metropolitan area, agricultural activity must be maintained, i.e., a pro-active politician is needed. It is not enough to stop new urban uses or urban development. Pérez et al. [31] studied the functionality of agriculture in this area.

Real changes in agricultural policy began in 2015. The municipality of València and the regional government started undertaking actions to protect agricultural areas more effectively. One major initiative was the transition to agri-food sustainability, an iniciative studied by Sarabia et al. [32]. It is an major challenge for our global society which has been studied by different institutions like FABLE [33]. The societal transition to sustainability is an interesting research field focused on the stakeholders which play a role in the process [34, 35]. According to this approach, new pathways are needed for governing food system transformations like Mangnus et al. [36] explain. Tuscano et al. [37] point out, consumers are changing their behavior to become more responsible food consumption. 2017 MILAN URBAN FOOD POLICY PACT Annual Gathering and Mayor’s Summit took place in València, and it drew up the document Agri-food Strategy [38]. The next year, in March 2018, the L’Horta law (Llei de L’Horta de València, in Catalan) was published [39]. This law is the main tool to shift agricultural activity in this area to a sustainable agri-food system. The law establishes a complex system to manage the agricultural area, analyzed previously by the author [40], and focused on four issues:

• Promotion a regional plan called the “Territorial Action Plan to Regulate and Revitalize L’Horta of Valencia”. This is a regional plan to determine land uses and stop urban development in agricultural spaces.
• Legal identification of elements that make up this landscape to protect.
• Creation of the “L’Horta Council” a public-private organism with a budget to finance actions of common interest and/or public interest to agriculture activities.
• Promotion of an Agrarian Development Plan that is the main tool to program future strategies. The plan drawn up but has not yet been approved.

The Territorial Action Plan to Regulate and Revitalize L’Horta de Valencia [41] elaborated by the regional government was passed in December 2018. It stablishes possible uses in protected agricultural area. Nevertheless, in Spain, regional planning approved by regional governments is not binding on public works promoted by the central administration. In consequence, even today the protected agricultural area is threatened by the construction of central state projects, especially those that are transportation related.

The Agrarian Development Plan [42] is a tool to improve agricultural activity and profitability. The first version of the plan was finished in 2020 but has still not been passed.

The last important document was drawn up in 2019. It is the report Historical Irrigation System at the Horta of València [43] which was carried out to register L’Horta de València as a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It was designated a GIAHS on December 2 that the same year.

After the approval of L’Horta Law, the success or failure of designed actions should be evaluated. Not much time has elapsed since the approval, but the new situation can be assessed by means of a survey of experts who directly participate in drawing up the different tools: L’Horta Law, the regional plan and the agriculture development plan.

The process to transition to an agri-food sustainability system has been analyzed by different authors. The behavior of different stakeholders is important and a determining factor in the process’s succes. Ingram [44] showed the relevance of diversity to understand agricultural transitions. Wolfram et al. [45] studied in more detail the concept of urban transformative capacity to successfully undertake agri-ecological transitions. Geels [46] focused his studies on a multi-level perspective. And Singh et al. [47] focus his interest on package-based to agri-ecological transition. All these kind of analyses consider the stakeholders, and their behavior and perceptions, and consequently use surveys to analyze situation.

The author carried out a study whose results were published synthetically as a paper at the 2^nd International Conference on Urban Agriculture and City Sustainability [48]. This article is an extension of that publication focused on the interpretation of the results.

3.1 Identifying main issues

The first analysis allows identifying the main concepts about the future by grouping each item/opinion of answers according to a concept, idea, representative name of the kind of action or problem identified by interviewees. This analysis allows structuring the answers according to the following topics:

1. Governance

2. Behavior of social agents

3. Environment and agricultural activity

4. Cultural issues

5. Agricultural profitability

6. Behavior of big economic powers like major companies

7. Agrarian policy

8. Knowledge needs about agricultural market

9. Public communications and information

10. Technical innovation in agricultural production

11. New transport infrastructures and urban development

The following sections show the results of the SWOT analysis topic by topic. Tables 1-6 show an overview of the results of SWOT survey by topic. Sometimes several interviewees expressed the same opinion about an idea. If two persons expressed the same idea, the idea is marked by an &, and when more than two interviewees said the same idea, this idea is marked by &&.

3.2 Results for the "Governance" topic

Governance is the topic with the highest number of opinions. Interviewees recognize the positive actions to tackle some main problems, particularly those undertaken by the L'Horta Law. As a strength they emphasize that the regional plan (Territorial Action Plan to Regulate and Revitalize L'Horta de Valencia) has stopped urban development on agricultural land that implies it destruction. About 50% of historical agricultural land today has been urbanized. However, some interviewees remember that this plan still allows for important urban development on agricultural land. In some cases, the law allows these urban developments because of the cost of money compensations for cancelling acquired rights if the administration annuls them. But in other cases, urban development is allowed to undertake municipal urban projects. The protected area covers 44 municipal boundaries in very diverse situations.

In addition, interviewees highlight the idea of "Definition and identification of professional farmers (organic and conventional)" because that is the best way to focus assistance on farmers for whom agriculture is a way of life. They are identified through a register.

Table 1. SWOT analysis results about "Governance"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

The idea of creating the Horta’s Council was evaluated very positively because it is open to all sensibilities and has the budget and ability to promote initiatives of a common interest, but several people were very critical with its delay starting up and the results of activity.

Several opinions were expressed regarding the need to coordinate actions and show it possibilities:

• Opportunities: promoting food sovereignty of the metropolitan area of València, making organic and conventional farming compatible, farmers' participation in technical inspections, making groups of collaborative economy in agriculture, creating a supra-individual organization.
• Weaknesses: coordination between different social and public agents to achieve common objectives (e.g., local administration) and collaboration between agricultural workers' union, farmers and politicians.

Some actions about coordination are currently in execution, for example, agreements between farmers and municipalities. The municipality of València has an agreement to supply schools with organic vegetables for school cafeterias. This kind of farmer–consumer collaboration means direct services from local farmers who are guaranteed sales.

Some interesting opportunities that interviewees identified are the possibilities of GIAHS-FAO registration and the use of the EU Recovery Plan for an ecological transition. These two real possibilities can help to promote necessary changes, like creating a brand, promoting rural and cultural tourism, creating professional farmers, etc.

The interviewees identified two important ideas. They mentioned that L'Horta Law was a social pact to protect and promote L'Horta, but there are two major problems still pending. The first has to do with the risk of new urban expansions if regional planning criteria changes, and the second with the risk of new infrastructures such as motorways or railways promoted by the central administration in the protected area because this regional protection is not binding upon it.

3.3 Results for the "Behavior of Social Agents" topic

Social agents play an important role in Valencian society regarding the issue of L'Horta: there is a major social movement in favor of L'Horta remaining agricultural land, many local administrations share that movement’s objectives, and consumer preferences are shifting in favor of local demand and organic products. There is a small but growing group of enterprising young farmers that represents a new kind of farmer in a globalized economy. Valencian society holds the agricultural heritage of L'Horta in very high esteem.

Table 2. SWOT analysis results about the "Behavior of Social Agents"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

In addition, very importantly, there is a traditional attitude and culture amongst conventional farmers in favor of collaboration and self-organizing with ample experience in water management and conflict management through the Water Court [49] based on keeping one's word. The Water Court establishes sentences by word only, without writing anything, one that all farmers accept. In fact, historically, if a farmer did not keep his word, the others excluded him from their society due to lack of trust and do not work with him when he needs help. This system of social control is not currently applied in today's global economy, but there is still the moral value of "keep one's word" as a part of the culture of traditional farmers.

3.4 Results for the "Environment and Agricultural Activity" topic

The environmental topic refers both to the environmental variables that affect the agricultural activity, and also the environmental impact, positive and negative, that the agricultural activity has on L'Horta's territory and its surroundings.

Table 3. SWOT analysis results about the "Environment and Agricultural Activity"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

According to interviewees, in addition of food services, that is an ecosystem service produced by the agricultural landscape, and other ecosystem services that this place provides society with such as moderating the weather and the urban heat island phenomenon from the nearby city of València, increasing rainfall in a Mediterranean area that is usually dry, and increasing biodiversity. These opinions come from those interviewed with a more environmentalist worldview. On the other hand, L'Horta suffers from negative environmental impacts such as irrigation water pollution and itself produces environmental negative impacts such as soil pollution from the use of agrochemicals in conventional agriculture. The interviewees with a direct interest in agricultural activity point out more specifically the negative impact on the quality of irrigation water while soil pollution is associated with the use of chemical products in agriculture.

3.5 Results for the "Cultural Issues" topic

L'Horta de València produces a significant cultural ecosystem service: It is a cultural landscape that defines Valencian society’s identity. This is recognized as a strength and, although it was only mentioned by one person, it is widely accepted.

3.6 Results for the "Agricultural Profitability" topic

In agricultural landscapes, profitability is essential to maintain the activity. Agricultural landscapes are artificial and need the work of farmers to maintain them. Maintaining the work of farmers is only possible if the work is profitable enough to continue the economic activity. All interviewees spoke about this issue from different perspectives.

L'Horta is a smallholding landscape, and economic activity has the weaknesses of this kind of agricultural activity: dispersed and small fields, weak ability to negotiate sales prices, contradictory interests between farmers and traders, weak control over marketing and value chain, etc.

The interviewees also point out strengths such as easy possibility of diversifying crops, diversifying value chains, the versatility and diversification of commercial models, etc.

Table 4. SWOT analysis results about the "Agricultural Profitability"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

Interviewees identify many opportunities to improve profitability but only some are in execution. The tira de comptar or ecotira (proper name in Catalan) is a sales point at the agricultural wholesale market of València (MERCAVALENCIA). This sales point has direct sales from farmers to third parties such as small grocery stores. Usually, farmers go to the fields very early, before 6 a.m., to harvest vegetables and at 6 a.m. they start market activity. The traders usually go to market between 6–7 a.m. to buy product that they then sell in grocery markets. In this way, people can buy fresh local “km 0” products. It is a system to promote direct contact between farmers and consumers. This system can be extended to other ecological products or prepared products like canned food. This sales system was launched in 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic situation was other opportunity to changing agriculture system. In fact, the pandemic was a major boost to demand for organic products both locally and from other European countries.

The main threats identified were unfair competition from countries outside of Europe with lower phytosanitary requirements that often penalize Valencian farmers and the weak position farmers are in to negotiate sales with the large stores. This situation is aggravated because farmers, in general, do not have contacts with foreign traders, especially from central Europe.

On the other hand, organic agriculture is difficult in a smallholder's situation with a mix organic-conventional agriculture because of agrochemicals move from conventional agriculture plots to organic agriculture plots and, finally, organic farmers are penalized.

The largest stores can buy enormous quantities of product, and set prices and conditions. In this situation, sometimes farmers prefer to destroy production like in the case of onions last spring (2021), despite their high sales price in stores.

3.7 Results for the "Behavior of Big Powers" topic

In this subsection, as the term "Big Powers" refers to the main administrations or organizations with the ability to guide the administration's governmental action, or the action of other organizations like universities or major trade companies, towards objectives about food sovereignty, sustainability, etc.

Interviewees perceive the behavior of these big organizations as a weakness because of:

- Lack of commitment from organizations (administration, universities, large companies, etc.) with capacity and power to promote a new urban concept (that includes protecting areas which produce ecosystem services).

- Sometimes there are dogmatic positions of some politicians that can produce the loss of allies (e.g., housewife).

     - Risk that L'Horta's Council disappear if the political landscape were to shift in the future.

Interviewees perceive the need for agreement with different stakeholders to produce changes. The answers show two points of view: the priority of an ecological transition in agriculture; and the priority of the profitability of conventional agriculture. In this situation, the dogmatic position of some politician regarding ecological transition can produce loss of allies to promote changes, e.g., a radical agri-ecological position can increase the food sale prices and, consequently, the rejection of housewives. Probably, the way to explain objectives to change and the future scenario, especially when they imply major changes, can alienate a part of traditional farmers. The L'Horta's Council is empowered to manage general changes, but for the time-being unsuccessfully. That is why an interviewee warns that it might disappear.

3.8 Results for the "Agrarian Polic" topic

The interviewees explain weaknesses and threats but not strengths or opportunities. They identify problems but not solutions.

The opinions about agricultural policy are focused on the Agrarian Development Plan, the dichotomy between organic and conventional agriculture, and traditional agricultural knowledge transfer.

Table 5. SWOT analysis results about "Agricultural Policy"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

3.9 Results for the "Knowledge Needs about Agriculture Market" topic

As expected, the interviewees identify this topic as a weakness. They identified knowledge deficits in different areas:

- A detailed study should be carried out to better understand: production, stakeholders, land grouping, field structure, etc.

- There is an Observatory, but prices, distribution and the value chain are not well known.

- Educational need (crop management, online sales management, etc.). There is one farmer school but it is inefficient according to current needs.

- Lack of cultural synergy between university and traditional knowledge about agriculture.

- In general, society does not understand how L'Horta's agriculture works. &

The training should be targeted towards crop management or new internet-based technologies (e-trade, international door-to-door trade, e-distribution, etc.). Currently, there is one farmer school but is deemed to be ineffective according to current needs. This topic is perceived as a weakness.

Better knowledge of production, stakeholders, field structure, etc. is also needed. There is an Observatory but not enough information is available.

Some interviewees identified the lack of synergies between university and traditional agriculture. In general, city dwellers do not understand how L'Horta works.

3.10 Results for the "Communication and Information to Society" topic

This topic is also perceived as a weakness. Some interviewees have the opinion that the regional public TV does not accurately report on the real situation of farming in L'Horta and a discussion needs to be opened between stakeholders on the topic. This opinion is important because society needs to understand the situation to accept the actions to solve the problems.

3.11 Results for the "Technical Innovation in Agricultural Production" topic

In a coherent way, interviewees perceived technical innovation as a threat but also as a opportunity.

Table 6. SWOT analysis results about "Technical Innovation in Agricultural Production"

Source: Miralles i Garcia [48]

Interventions focused on the technological possibilities of so-called "vertical urban farms" based on hydroponic/aeroponic crops or other similar techniques. This technology allows producing organic vegetables with a controlled environment in industrial buildings. Today this technology is energy-expensive. Can make organic agriculture with absolute control over all parameters in buildings or warehouses possible. This technology allows producing organic vegetables with a controlled environment in industrial buildings. Today this technology is energy-expensive, but the cost of production will probably go down.

Conventional farmers think that this kind of agricultural is not a threat for this agricultural area where farmers can have three or four crops each year with a good climate and irrigation. However, some university specialists do not agree. They think that vertical urban farms can be a real alternative to conventional agriculture in the future with low-cost organic production.

Interviewees do not consider other types of urban agriculture like green rooftops, green facades or even urban gardens because they usually only produce very small quantities of vegetables for own consumption.

3.12 Results for the "New Transport Infrastructures and Urban Development" topic

As previously mentioned, transport infrastructures and urban development are perceived by interviewees as a threat:

- The central administration is planning to expand already-existing transport infrastructures (motorways) and to build new infrastructure (high speed railway).

- New transport infrastructures irreversibly transform agricultural lands, fragment territories, and produce residual unusable fields.

- Use of protected agricultural land to build new infrastructure or for urban development.

- Urban pressure to build on protected areas.

In fact, the central administration has built an extension of a motorway in the protected area and is planning a new 20 km-long infrastructure for high-speed rail inside the protected area. Transport infrastructures are barriers that generate isolated agricultural areas difficult to work.

In the Valencian country there is an innovative system to manage the large historical peri-urban agriculture area called L’Horta de València. The system is based on four essential tools that were implemented in 2018. While conventional agriculture still dominates, an agri-ecological transition is underway. It is too early to evaluate results but through research based on a survey of experts with a multi-level perspective, this study has been able to identify through a SWOT analysis the goals achieved and the main challenges that now exist after the implementation of the new management system according to the key interviewees.

The significant results show a partial success regarding agricultural area management through the four tools designed. According to the study, the main successes and limitations of these four tools are the following.

The “Territorial Action Plan to Regulate and Revitalize L’Horta of Valencia” has been implemented, urban development has been stopped and uses are now regulated prioritizing agricultural activities. In consequence, despite the plan accept to urbanize some areas and there is an argument about this fact, this tool has made it possible to achieve the planned objectives. The main limitation is the risk that a future regional government will change or eliminate this plan to allow new urban expansions by removing more agricultural land.

In second place, the main elements which define the landscape of L’Horta have been identified and protected. Nevertheless, there is a limitation. The risk of building new infrastructures still exists because the regional plan is not binding on central administration interventions. In this sense, administrative protection is incomplete.

This study shows that the main unsuccessful tools are the L’Horta Council and the Agrarian Development Plan. The L’Horta Council was designed to revitalize farming and promote common political and actions to generally benefit of farmers, but according to its results all interviewees felt that the Council was not adequately fulfilling its intended purpose.

In fourth place, the Agrarian Development Plan was thought to improve agricultural activity and profitability, but differences between different stakeholders have created an inadequate situation for it passing. In consequence, the very important objective of guaranteeing agricultural profitability has not been achieved.

In consequence, there are two most important lines of research for the future: (1) to identify the structural reasons that explain why stakeholders cannot agree to roll out an agricultural plan that is of common interest; and (2) to discover why the Council is inefficient and how it is possible to redesign the management actions to be successful.

Both our local and global communities are experiencing a historic moment with decisive challenges. The new world of harmony between the natural (rural) and the artificial (urban) is yet to be discovered and created. Agroecological production in peri-urban areas, such as L'Horta, must be part of this new world with the help of science and scientists.