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19th European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production – Circular Europe for Sustainability: Design, Production and Consumption

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“Agrobotigues”: a new model for the promotion of consumption of proximity agricultural products in Mataró (Barcelona)

Urban metabolism and the sustainability of cities are closely linked, among other factors, to the impacts associated with food in general. In particular, those derived from the production, transport and consumption of fresh horticultural products and, consequently, the relationship of the urban with its rural productive environment. In fact, the growth of the pre-industrial historical city was conditioned by the availability and production capacity of food in its immediate vicinity. It was not until the appearance of the railroad when it was possible to supply the urban food needs through the transport of food from long distances, which broke the territorial balance between urban and rural, also generating an external dependence and a vulnerability of the city with respect of the food industry. On this problem, the present study analyzes the phenomenon of Agrobotigues in the geographical area of ​​Mataró (Barcelona) and its surrounding as an alternative to the usual models of consumption of fresh horticultural producers. In the first part of the work, and after a first introduction aimed at defining the - commercial, formal, legal - nature of these establishments, we identify, geolocate and classify all the initiatives appeared in recent years. Subsequently, and with the objective of promoting the circular economy and improving the metabolic balance of the city, the study will focus on two key factors such as i) the potential for reduction of greenhouse effect emissions associated with the changes in the models of production, transportation and marketing that are promoted and, finally, ii) its role in the preservation of the agricultural use of the soil and the agricultural characteristics of periurban environments. Regarding the first point, we will consider its deep relationship with the promotion of biological production models, whereas related to the second point, it is also proposed to analyze the role of urban planning discipline as a key factor in promoting or hindering the emergence of these new ways of direct sale of proximity agricultural products.

DIEGO SAEZ UJAQUE
UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA

 


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