The Role of Common Agricultural Policy in the Landscape Evolution: the Case Study of Val d'Orcia (Siena, Italy)

In the last years there is growing debate between agricultural economists on the role of agriculture to product positive ad negative externalities. The externalities are defined as pubblic goods or no-commodity outputs (Marangon, 2006; Daugstad et al., 2006; OECD, 2001; Brunori et al., 2006) and they need of specific regulation. In rural areas landscape is a typical example of externality because it is the result of agricultural activity and it changes with the agricultural change. At same time, landscape in specific territorial contexts can assume historic, cultural, social and economic value, so that it could become a strategic resource for local development politics (Brunori et al, 2006). The decupling and cross-compliance introduced by the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the increasing demand of environmental goods by citizen/consumers are elements of novelty that will modify farms in next years. In particular, CAP reform could lead to farm externalisation of activity or suspension of business in many rural areas with important socio-economic and environmental impacts as, for example, on landscape. In Val d’Orcia, as in other Tuscany rural areas, landscape assumes the role of economic resource because it attracts tourists and is utilised to promote the territory (landscape as a “business card”). This is in connection with the rural configuration of the landscape and the high concentration of architectonic and artistic goods. To remember, for example, the UNESCO recognition in 2004 as “Val d’Orcia cultural landscape”. At same time, if this landscape is an important points of strength of the local economy, it shows also environmental fragility (biodiversity reduction, soli erosion, etc.) that they need specific actions. In agreement with art.1 of European Landscape Convention (European Council, 2000) where is affirmed that “Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”, this work shows the results of a survey developed in Val d’Orcia with this objectives: • to identify the driving forces that have leaded to the current landscape in Val d’Orcia to start to 1970th; • to try to define the possible landscape evolution in relationship with the novelty introduced by the CAP reform; • to suggest specific actions to drive the landscape evolution in the direction of a “sustainable rural landscape” where landscape is an element to strengthen the identity of local rural community, to promote local sustainable development and to safeguard environmental resources in their complex (European Council, 2000).