The Role of Local Factors in the Spatial Concentrations for Rural Development. An Application in the Apulia Region (Italy)

In the most recent LEADER programming periods, there has been an important shift in rural development policy, from a purely sectorial, productivist approach to a more integrated, territorial one. In fact, rural development within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has become particularly important and effective throughout Europe, by taking on the huge but vital task of rediscovering the potential and capabilities of rural territories. Within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy, rural development has played an increasingly significant role throughout Europe, by introducing methodological innovations, especially in governance and practices. In this way, it has rediscovered the potential and the capacity of rural areas, addressing problems that are common to many European regions such as depopulation, inadequate infrastructure and basic services and a lack of human and social capital crucial to stimulate innovation. From this perspective, it is important to identify particular local features and resources that can offer advantages for local development. However, major innovations in terms of policy, governance and skills are also required. Evidence from experiences across Europe indicates that the Common Agricultural Policy, through the LEADER approach, supports these goals and is trying to reduce regional inequalities. It seeks to solve contextual problems and acts as a laboratory for building local capacities and experimenting with new ways of meeting the needs of local communities under the neo-endogenous development approach. From this point of view, and assuming the role of agriculture over time, the territorial context plays a central, strategic role in rural development. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand the context in which these experiences take place and the point of view adopted to describe it. This chapter, based on the neo-endogenous approach, the reflections emerging from literary review and recent programming documents, aims to analyze the priority strategic objectives for sustainable development, the main territorial factors underlying it and potential successful experiences on a local scale in the Italian region of Apulia, an interesting case study for Italy due to the socioeconomic importance of agriculture in the region and the processes of transformations within the context of LEADER in recent years. Combining data and cartographic analysis,  we will describe the main regional characteristics going on to identify by a preliminary analysis the structural problems and potential drivers of innovation, important factors that are concentrated in specific areas. This study will enable us to identify dynamics, emerging problems, policy recommendations and indications for regional development and the future of the CAP, focusing in particular on marginal rural areas.