Farmers' Participation in Civic Agriculture: The Effect of Social Embeddedness

Abstract

This work investigates how farmers' attitudes influence their decision to participate in some particular forms of civic agriculture, namely farmers' markets (conventional or organic), solidarity purchase groups, direct selling, and box schemes. It also explores whether social embeddedness-related attitudes occur with different intensities within the various types of civic agriculture. To this end, a survey was carried out among farmers participating in civic agriculture in Sicily (Italy). Empirical results confirm the role of social embeddedness whereby personal relations between farmers and consumers are emphasized: a greater presence of community relations fosters a greater role of social embeddedness in farmers' decisions.