Abstract
We follow the hypothesis that social agriculture is an eco-social strategy that, in addition to social benefits, also serves the protection of the environment and natural resources, as well as contributing to the preservation of a multifunctional cultural landscape. In the Alps, land use and landscape development are facing challenges in the context of global change and socio-economic transformation. The negative effects of rural emigration and the simultaneous increase of urbanization, climate change, and resource consumption call for innovative strategies and social changes in order to enable sustainable development of mountain areas. We analyzed case studies of initiatives engaged in social agriculture based on three ecological criteria, (1) sustainable land management, (2) activities regarding environmental and nature conservation, and (3) environmental education and education for sustainable development. The focus is on the regions of South Tyrol-Trentino, Veneto, Friuli, Carinthia, Styria, and Tyrol in the Alps and the southern Alpine foothills. Semi-structured interviews with managers were performed for 22 initiatives. The results show that all farms implemented at least one ecological criterion of eco-social agriculture. From the results, best practice initiatives of eco-social agriculture can be derived, which can also be considered as exemplary for other mountain regions.