Territorial Actors Research Articles

National government measures related to COVID-19 in Argentina: vulnerable populations, participation and mental health

In March 2020, the first case of coronavirus was registered in Argentina and care measures were adopted. From different spaces, research initiatives emerged addressing various problems related to this pandemic. In this framework, a working group was formed to develop a network research project: “COVID-19, Health and social protection: contributions from territorial care practices for the strengthening of comprehensive community mental health policies in the new postpandemic scenarios.” Its main objective is to describe the practices and experiences of health/mental health care developed by territorial actors, analyzing their articulation with government measures during the year 2020. The methodology used is exploratory descriptive, founded on the triangulation of sources, instruments and qualitative quantitative indicators, based on the systematization of practices and experiences of territorial actors and the analysis of their relationship with national, provincial and local public policies.Various publications indicate that populations in situation of vulnerability are more exposed in relation to their health/mental health and it has also been analyzed that social participation is a central component in Community Health and constitutes, in cases of greater vulnerability, a condition to ensure survival.This article characterizes the national government measures related to COVID-19 in Argentina, with respect to these populations, and analyzes those that make explicit reference to social participation.

Proximities and Logics of Sustainable Development of the Territorial Resource: The Case of the Localised Agro-Food System of Kalâat M’gouna in Morocco

Sustainable agriculture is fundamental to strengthening the resilience of rural communities to climate risks. This article aims to integrate traditional and scientific knowledge by identifying the types of proximity and the modes of valorisation of the territorial resource “rose” activated by the territorial actors of a localised agri-food system (LAFS), specialised in the production and processing of fresh rose in Kalâat M’gouna (K-M), Province of Tinghir in Morocco. The objective is to show to what extent the logics of proximity activated allow for the inclusion/understanding of the mechanisms of resource valorisation implemented by the actors. In other words, we seek to see whether the activation of several types of interaction between actors can promote the emergence of new modes of valuing the rose resource. This will be done by analysing the level of valorisation of the “rose” resource by the actors of this system while proposing tracks of improvement to take part in the sustainable development of this traditional system through its orientation towards the cognitive and innovative aspects. Our methodology is based mainly on a case study of a localised agri-food system (LAFS) using a set of semi-directive interviews conducted with 47 different actors of the system. Thus, we relied on SPSS software to study the possible correlations between the types of proximities existing and the modes of resource valuation activated. In terms of results, we were able to verify the domination of traditional proximities (geographical, organisational, relational, etc.) at the level of interactions between actors. On the other hand, there is a kind of insufficiency of the relations which are based on the knowledge and the (cognitive) knowledge.

Distinct Persons; Distinct Territories: Rethinking the Spaces of International Organizations

Abstract Implicit spatial assumptions inform the law of international organisations, including the very concept of an international organization. In this paper, I argue that the reproduction of a physicalized and stato-centric notion of territory informs the idea that international organizations are functional entities without territories because ‘territory’ – as it has been long been conceptualised – has already been apportioned among states. While other disciplines underwent major epistemic change in their conceptualization of space, law retained reified assumptions of its spaces, especially so of territory. As a result, international lawyers have long assumed only states can be territorial actors. Yet with a reconceptualisation of territory, inspired by thinkers such as Lefebvre, we might instead think of the spaces of international organisations as their territories, constituted through their social practices exercising control. Moreover, this territory is distinct from the territories of member states and is not simply the aggregate of member states’ territories.

The determining factors of productivity and competitiveness from the perspective of territorial and sustainable development

In the present research work, it is identified the determining factors of productivity and the competitiveness in the province of Tungurahua (Ecuador) from the territorial and sustainable development perspective, through the use of three techniques: the individualized interview, the focus group and the survey of the different representative territorial actors, coming to the conclusion, in this case, that the driving factors are: the human capacities, the politic and economic environment, the financial capital, the business capital, the natural capital, the technology capital, the institutional capital, the social capital, and the infrastructure capital. This study contributes with information and results that can be used as input in the elaboration of public policies, aimed to promote the provincial productivity and competitiveness.

“Emptied Spain” and the limits of domestic and EU territorial mobilisation

The term “España Vaciada” has recently been coined to define the long-term trend of depopulation in Spain´s inland areas. It has gained traction as it spilled over from a local issue to the national agenda. At the same time, the European Union has made steps to give greater prevalence to the topic of demographic decline. This article maps out and provides a narrative of the failed attempts of territorial mobilisation around this issue since 2016. It examines a number of territorial actors as they try to are shape both Spain´s Demographic strategy against demographic decline as well as their rent-seeking efforts towards EU Cohesion Policy post 2020 by way of maps and a novel definition. They try to address the same territorial challenge, the growing depopulation of vast areas of inland Spain, but are unable to coalesce around common solutions due to their different priorities and approaches.

River contracts in north‐east Italy: Water management or participatory processes?

AbstractRiver contracts (RCs) are voluntary agreements between stakeholders for managing water bodies and involve participatory, evidence‐based action plans. Increasingly, European authorities recognise that effective water policies require bottom‐up, inclusive decision‐making. Despite widely held assumptions about the benefits of including stakeholders in river basin management and encouraging participatory mechanisms of decision‐making, the growing rhetoric about the need for public engagement implies that this ‘new’ paradigm of water management remains filled with ambiguities. Adopting ethnographic methods and drawing on a variety of primary and secondary sources, this paper analyses three RCs in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy. These case studies reveal the potential for RCs as tools not only for water management, but also for increasing stakeholder involvement through place‐making activities conceived as potential hydrophilic encounters. In order to understand whether RCs contribute to a fluvial sense of place, we looked at the effects of top‐down versus participatory processes. We asked whether RCs were considered participatory processes designed to achieve a co‐designed outcome or simply territorial management projects that objectify the river as something to be developed. We found that ratifying an RC was not, in itself, proof of an effective process; rather the nature and quality of an RC was determined by the degree and type of participation. We contend that participatory events and sharing information are not sufficient in themselves to achieve the active involvement of all stakeholders. We argue that the best framework for enabling place‐making and enhancing a sense of place is to develop RCs within a process that includes a high degree of participation. This enables citizens to shift from simply being passive recipients of plans to becoming effective territorial actors.

State and society in building capabilities to strengthen practices of territorial governance

This research assumes that processes of territorial articulation, in order to achieve the desired territorial future, require democratic, horizontal, and collaborative practices of territorial governance, involving state agents and representatives from the social, productive-business and academic sectors. Highly complex environments together with the current digital transformation have significantly changed the agenda across territories. These issues have led to questioning the competencies and capabilities of the territorial actors with regard to their performances in the processes of territorial articulation. Against this backdrop, the notion has been ratified that this systemic complexity is assimilated through a methodological, multi-referential hybridism, which includes processes of co-production and action research. The objective of this article is to produce theoretical and methodological contributions in order to address the challenges posed to the state and society in building capabilities for practices of territorial governance. The text has been structured as a theoretical essay referenced in Latin American academic production regarding the subject.

Territorial Approach and Rural Development Challenges: Governance, State and Territorial Markets

The way we produce food is at the heart of some of the current main global challenges. We are witnessing increasing social inequalities and the accentuation of hunger around the world, especially in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. At the same time, malnutrition and effects of climate change are endangering both the health of people and nature, putting life and the planet itself at risk. In general, specialists agree that the solutions to the current crisis involve the transformation of hegemonic food production chains (globalized and industrialized) and the strengthening of more territorialized food systems. The present paper reflects on how the territorial approach (extensively promoted by the State in Latin America countries in the 21st century) can be collaboratively used to create territorial food markets that are more autonomous, sustainable, and connected with nature and territorial resources. Our hypothesis is that territorial development reinforces more sustainable food systems that increase the resilience of territories facing the current challenges of rural development. The methodology involves a thematic and selective literature review, the analysis of secondary indicators, and conducting online interviews. Our analysis focused on Latin America, one of the most advanced areas in territorial development policies. We situated our research in the Borborema Territory (Paraíba, Brazil), which is a significant case study for understanding the dynamics of territorialization (and deterritorialization) of agroecological production systems that are geared towards family farming. It is also, in our opinion, a concrete case that suggests how territorialized and more localized food systems show greater resilience in the face of adversity, which can be observed in the territorial actors’ ability to react to deterritorialization drivers that are emphasised in periods of crisis. Our main findings suggest that territorial development, by placing territory, resources, and territorial actors and institutions at the core of rural development strategies, reinforces territorialized food systems centred in small circuits of production–consumption. These alternative food systems not only contribute to social and environmental sustainability but enhance territorial development by expanding opportunities for territorial actors by diversifying the territorial economy and creating more crisis-resilient territories.

Local Action Groups as an Example of Participation and Development of Community: the Case of “Moravian Way” Local Action Group

The main goal of this article is to present local action groups in the Czech Republic as participative and deliberative platforms offering a unique environment for citizen participation as well as other actors (representatives of public and local administration, NGOs, and local business interests) functioning as leaders of territorial development. The paper explores the specific case of the Moravian Way Local Action Group, describing and explaining the participative and deliberative tools used to create and subsequently evaluate territory-based strategies. This case demonstrates that the use of these forms leads to the successful development of the territory. The focus on deliberative tools and the participative behaviour of different sets of territorial actors adds an important new perspective to the evaluation of innovative participative processes on the local level.

Local Action Groups as an Example of Participation and Development of Community: the Case of “Moravian Way” Local Action Group

The main goal of this article is to present local action groups in the Czech Republic as participative and deliberative platforms offering a unique environment for citizen participation as well as other actors (representatives of public and local administration, NGOs, and local business interests) functioning as leaders of territorial development. The paper explores the specific case of the Moravian Way Local Action Group, describing and explaining the participative and deliberative tools used to create and subsequently evaluate territory-based strategies. This case demonstrates that the use of these forms leads to the successful development of the territory. The focus on deliberative tools and the participative behaviour of different sets of territorial actors adds an important new perspective to the evaluation of innovative participative processes on the local level.

Social and territorial inequalities in breast and cervical cancers screening uptake: a cross-sectional study in France

ObjectiveThe objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the impact of socio-territorial characteristics on mammography and pap smear uptake according to the place of residence in the recommended age...

Water Governance in Mediterranean Farming Systems through the Social-Ecological Systems Framework—An Empirical Case in Southern Portugal

Water governance is a major challenge in the Mediterranean context. Any action to drive water governance towards sustainability needs to be grounded in a holistic understanding of such challenges. Therefore, a first step towards the improvement of water governance is a grounded understanding of what is at stake, who are the actors involved, and how they interact. To achieve this level of understanding, we propose the use of the social–ecological Systems (SES) framework. This framework was developed to grasp the complexity of issues related to the sustainable use of public goods such as water. This study looks at water governance in the farming sector of three municipalities in the Alentejo and Algarve, in the south of Portugal. Data were collected using a literature review and 22 semi-structured interviews with territorial actors (i.e., public administration, non-governmental associations, private sector, decision-makers, and farmers). By using the SES framework, we provide an integrated characterization of water governance in the case study and identify the implicated factors. Between these factors, and focusing on the overlap between literature and actors’ perspectives, are (1) the lack of integrated and supported strategies for development, and (2) lack of communication between the actors that need to congregate efforts towards sustainable use of water resources. The study found few examples of collective efforts and long-lasting networks of collaboration, especially between science and practice. We conclude by arguing that place-based tailored policies are needed. Such policies should promote communication and collective actions between researchers, local organizations, public administration, and farmers.

Which pathway to address interrelated challenges to farm sustainability in Thailand? Views of local actors.

Farms in Asian newly industrialised economies are increasingly faced with operational and structural challenges (e.g. small farm size, ageing of farmers). Public policies have generally focused little on several of these structural challenges or on links between the challenges facing farms. The future of these farms looks uncertain. However, in Thailand, multi-stakeholder dialogue on this future has been limited. This article analyses possible farm futures that actors of a rural territory in Thailand identified and the changes they were willing to support to address interrelated challenges facing the farms. These farm futures resulted from a participatory planning process, which mostly involved farmers and staff from local administrations and public agencies. Participants designed future farm scenarios that took the main operational and structural challenges facing the farms into account. The pathway designed by participants to achieve their preferred scenario involved intervention of various dimensions, e.g. water management, value chains, and farm structure. Actors expressed their readiness for several farming system transformations. They proposed actions to enhance land tenure security and youth engagement in farming, which were two topics relatively overlooked in prevailing public policies. Supporting discussions between actors of rural territories could help identify ambitious innovative pathways to address challenges to farm sustainability in Asian newly industrialised economies.

Agroecology and communal innovation: LabCampesino, a pedagogical experience from the rural youth in Sumapaz Colombia

In Colombia, rural youth face multiple challenges and social gaps, so the main option is to leave rural areas and migrate to urban environments in search of better living conditions. Instigating collective processes that enhance prospects for rural permanence is crucial. The research gap that we face in this article is the limitation of research in knowledge co-creation dynamics based on the Citizen-Labs framework in rural environments located in the Global South. This article presents the systematisation of a LabCampesino, a space aimed at collaborative creating innovations for territorial management and alternatives to development from the rural youth in the Colombian countryside, as a new theoretical and methodological framework to examine knowledge generation. By applying a case study approach, this article explores the axes of agroecology, co-creation, and community organisation from a transdisciplinary and participatory action research lens. For this, sessions on exploration, experimentation, and prototyping were created in the province of Sumapaz, which led to learning around technologies and knowledge dialogue practices for the protection and reconstruction of peasant territories. The results demonstrate that the young participants can build, document and disseminate innovations at the community level related to situated technologies, processes and reflections on local socio-ecological processes. Thus, rural laboratories make possible practical, experimental, and situated rural education as a communal innovation experience in the territory, hand in hand with agroecological dynamics and political and social organisation, becoming places of articulation and advocacy for territorial actors and interests that seek a transformation of rurality.

THE CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED FOOD POLICY

Careful observation of where food is produced and distributed reveals a mismatch between what is given, what is demanded and what is received. All this becomes an argument for structuring a coherent concept for harmonising food policy, as well as an issue calling for the integration of food policies. The objective of the study is to raise awareness recently and to propose technical and public policy solutions primarily at local community level, within citizens' groups. The solutions that emerged from the study are those relating to highlighting the elements of principle that provide the framework for the realisation of a Territorial Action Programme in food policy, particularly in densely populated areas. This guide is useful for achieving the necessary synergy between agricultural, environmental and social issues that intersect with the provision of quality food and food aid in a unified concept of Romanian integrated food policy.

The Integrated Local Plan for Health Promotion of the Lombardy Region:a planning tool for prevention

IssueThe Health Protection Agencies (ATS) of the Lombardy Region play a role in the governance through the technical-methodological support to achieve health objectives. Through Local Health Promotion Plans (PIL), ATS are tasked with programming campaigns for health promotion and prevention of NCDs at the territorial level, following regional (PRP) and national (PNP) guidelines. The PIL foster the integration of different sectors and activate non-health policies, through networks and stakeholders from different territories. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for an integrated and, intersectorial plan able to promote the development of partnerships, in order to focus more on the social and environmental determinants of health. This strategy guarantees responses to the needs of the population during an emergency, as well as equitable and sustainable prevention programs.Description of the problemAs part of its planning activities, each ATS defines and annually updates the PIL according to a methodology consistent with the regional situation and, based on analyses of health and the equity context. Implementation of the PIL is part of the prevention performance indicators and it is monitored at the regional level through collaborative work networks encompassing, research, training and sharing of best practices.ResultsThe comparative reading of the 8 PIL makes it possible to identify the contents defined in the various territories, highlighting of intersectorial relations present at the regional level. The mapping of interventions clearly highlights the settings in which the greatest number of resources are invested (school and work), thus becoming a tool for planning action programs in subsequent years.LessonsIn addition to being a planning tool, the PIL allows the sharing of the local health profile and priorities with all territorial actors, becoming one of the tools in which the Health Profile is declined.Key messages The analysis of PIL is the starting point for the systemization of good practices, identifying possible organizational synergies and the preventive effects of the actions and programs implemented.Comparative reading of PIL allows for benchmarking of health promotion interventions.

Towards territorial product-service systems: A framework linking resources, networks and value creation

While many models for sustainable product-service systems (PSS) integrate the multi-actor perspective, few provide insights on how the territory in which actors implement the system influences its sustainability. This paper explores the implementation of a territorial PSS at a city or regional scale as a means to structuring value networks and enhancing its sustainability potential. The research combines a multidisciplinary literature review with two exploratory sustainable PSS cases in packaging and cloth baby diapers. The paper proposes a framework explaining how sustainable PSS providers develop territorial networks that consider a diversity of actors from civil, industrial, and public spheres to mobilize resources for value creation at organizational, network, and territorial levels. It identifies contextual factors, such as proximity, social embeddedness of relations, and the visions that influence the consolidation and sustainability of the territorial PSS networks. The empirical cases show the development of territorial networks enhances embed social relations among actors and enables the sustainable PSS concept to adapt to locally articulated sustainability principles and priorities. The paper discusses the implications of this approach for PSS for sustainability managers and designers. The study fills a gap by showing the importance of integrating a diversity of territorial actors as a pre-condition for PSS to contribute to the sustainability transitions and resilience of territories. Future research may validate the proposed framework and focus on identifying opportunities and barriers for the territorial PSS approach in different contexts such as industries and company sizes.

Building territorial value within local circular economy’s projects: lessons from French scholars’ studies

ABSTRACT This contribution proposes an introduction to the concept of territorial value used by French-speaking researchers to analyse the benefits of circular economy (CE)’s projects. For several years, French-speaking researchers have been highlighting the emergence of a new form of value in the CE’s implementation. This so-called territorial value is associated with the mobilisation of heterogeneous actors (industrial, institutional, associative, etc.) in the CE’s implementation in the territories. It is essentially based on the capture, realisation, and redistribution of positive social externalities. However, this concept of territorial value covers many issues. This contribution addresses the theoretical and empirical issues of territorial value. It discusses its relationship with other concepts and/or forms of value (extended customer value, partnership value, shared value, etc.) which nevertheless remain values oriented towards the company. Then, it shows a relationship between territorial value, the issue of territorial development and, more broadly the ecological transition. The critical analysis reveals that the territorial value is defined around an overcoming of the genealogical approach of the value centred on the company. It refers to the valorisation of territorial resources. Then, it supposes the existence of a collective process relying particularly on the relations of proximity between the territorial actors. Finally, this contribution explores the difficulties in measuring this territorial value, which constitute research opportunities for the international scientific community.

“Il telaio e la trama. Reti di comunità ed azione territoriale in Sardegna” di Carlo Perelli

“The loom and the plot. Networks of community and territorial action in Sardinia” by Carlo Perelli

L'organisation territoriale : Concept et stratégie

Territories are nowadays at the center of economic development strategies and is the object of political actions which often confuses territorial actors with the economic interests of the territories they represent and defend (Hatem, 2004a). The competitiveness is characterized by flexibility, diversity, quality and innovation rather than costs. The importance of resources and activities can be adapted to local conditions by transforming them into competitive advantages. The attractiveness of a territory is generally viewed as its capacity to attract and retain mobile factors of production and / or populations. In the sense of regional economy, the territory is a city, a region, a country or an economic zone. The study of territorial attractiveness consists in determining whether a territory can be chosen by an actor as a site (temporary or sustainable) for all or part of its activities. It is in this context that this article will shed light on the concept of the Territory in order to investigate its structure, organization, definition and history, as well as determining the factors that promote competitiveness and territorial attractiveness, with the aim of understanding what makes one territory more attractive than another when it comes to investments.