Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance
Based on concerns about food security and food sovereignty, it is appropriate to scrutinise societal measures for protecting agricultural land from conversion to other uses. Changes from agricultural to urban land use are particularly problematic, as they are largely irreversible. By analysing relev...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stockholm University Press
2017-12-01
|
| Series: | Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/39 |
| _version_ | 1827965774157840384 |
|---|---|
| author | Elin Sl㳭o |
| author_facet | Elin Sl㳭o |
| author_sort | Elin Sl㳭o |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Based on concerns about food security and food sovereignty, it is appropriate to scrutinise societal measures for protecting agricultural land from conversion to other uses. Changes from agricultural to urban land use are particularly problematic, as they are largely irreversible. By analysing relevant Swedish policy, the present study investigated how the protection of agricultural land is framed as an issue of societal importance. Protection of agricultural land is enshrined in Swedish law, but its use is still continually changing to housing and other constructions. In a structured policy analysis, two questions were examined: (1) what are the societal motives for protecting agricultural land in Sweden, and (2) how do these motives influence the governance of agricultural land? The meaning of national importance, suitable for cultivation and significant national interests in Swedish land-use law was also analysed. The results showed that formulations in the law reflect the ambivalent discourses on agricultural land preservation and that the Swedish authorities view other land uses as more important than agriculture. The Swedish governance system is currently built on trust that municipal institutions will make satisfactory decisions concerning land and water use. However, it has been shown that these decisions have not been satisfactory concerning the protection of agricultural land, and it is important to acknowledge that the sum of local decisions can be degrading for these life-supporting resources. The present analysis revealed a looming conflict between the preservation of soils for food production, on one hand, and local participation in decision making, on the other. This raises the question of whether it is more important to defend subsidiarity or to preserve certain resources which are important for food security, such as agricultural land. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:39:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-801b68da430640f18def789d93bf54ca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2002-0104 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:39:42Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Stockholm University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History |
| spelling | doaj.art-801b68da430640f18def789d93bf54ca2023-04-17T07:31:06ZengStockholm University PressRural Landscapes: Society Environment History2002-01042017-12-01412210.16993/rl.3955Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal ImportanceElin Sl㳭o0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6107-3949Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesBased on concerns about food security and food sovereignty, it is appropriate to scrutinise societal measures for protecting agricultural land from conversion to other uses. Changes from agricultural to urban land use are particularly problematic, as they are largely irreversible. By analysing relevant Swedish policy, the present study investigated how the protection of agricultural land is framed as an issue of societal importance. Protection of agricultural land is enshrined in Swedish law, but its use is still continually changing to housing and other constructions. In a structured policy analysis, two questions were examined: (1) what are the societal motives for protecting agricultural land in Sweden, and (2) how do these motives influence the governance of agricultural land? The meaning of national importance, suitable for cultivation and significant national interests in Swedish land-use law was also analysed. The results showed that formulations in the law reflect the ambivalent discourses on agricultural land preservation and that the Swedish authorities view other land uses as more important than agriculture. The Swedish governance system is currently built on trust that municipal institutions will make satisfactory decisions concerning land and water use. However, it has been shown that these decisions have not been satisfactory concerning the protection of agricultural land, and it is important to acknowledge that the sum of local decisions can be degrading for these life-supporting resources. The present analysis revealed a looming conflict between the preservation of soils for food production, on one hand, and local participation in decision making, on the other. This raises the question of whether it is more important to defend subsidiarity or to preserve certain resources which are important for food security, such as agricultural land.https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/39agricultural landfood securityfood sovereigntygovernancepolicy analysis |
| spellingShingle | Elin Sl㳭o Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance Rural Landscapes: Society Environment History agricultural land food security food sovereignty governance policy analysis |
| title | Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance |
| title_full | Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance |
| title_fullStr | Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance |
| title_short | Preservation of Agricultural Land as an Issue of Societal Importance |
| title_sort | preservation of agricultural land as an issue of societal importance |
| topic | agricultural land food security food sovereignty governance policy analysis |
| url | https://account.rurallandscapesjournal.com/index.php/su-j-rlseh/article/view/39 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elinslxiáno preservationofagriculturallandasanissueofsocietalimportance |