By S. Turchetti, collection and processing of primary data by V. Patacchini
This study is an integral part of the joint IRPET-Tuscany Region project “Causes of Abandonment of Utilized Agricultural Land,” scheduled for 2025 (Activity No. 3.2025), and was commissioned to IRPET by the EAFRD Managing Authority in agreement with the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the Tuscany Region.
The study was designed within the IRPET’s Productive Sectors and Businesses area. The study was carried out and the report written by Sara Turchetti (IRPET), with the collaboration of Valentina Patacchini (IRPET) in the collection and processing of primary data.
Questo rapporto esamina in prospettiva multidimensionale le determinanti dell’abbandono della superficie agricola in Toscana, fenomeno strutturale che emerge dall’interazione tra caratteristiche d’impresa, dinamiche socio-economiche di lungo periodo e condizioni morfologiche del territorio. La ricerca integra un modello microeconometrico basato sui dati aziendali dei Censimenti dell’Agricoltura 2010-2020 con un modello di econometria spaziale costruito su griglia regolare, consentendo di cogliere tanto le dinamiche individuali quanto le configurazioni territoriali del fenomeno. L’analisi mette in evidenza l’esistenza di pattern auto-rinforzanti di abbandono, concentrati nelle aree montane della Toscana nord-occidentale, e di nuclei territoriali resilienti, più diffusi nella Toscana meridionale. Inoltre, l’abbandono risulta più frequente in contesti caratterizzati da elevata frammentazione fondiaria, mentre l’orientamento al mercato, una minore polverizzazione della proprietà, la diversificazione produttiva e le certificazioni ambientali o di qualità emergono come fattori rilevanti per il suo contrasto.
DETERMINANTS FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN TUSCANY
This report adopts a multidimensional perspective to examine the determinants of agricultural land abandonment in Tuscany, a structural phenomenon arising from the interaction between farm-level characteristics, long-term socio-economic dynamics, and the morphological conditions of the territory. The study integrates a micro-econometric model based on farm-level data from the 2010–2020 Agricultural Censuses with a spatial econometric model built on a regular grid, thereby capturing both individual dynamics and broader territorial configurations. The analysis highlights the presence of self-reinforcing patterns of abandonment, concentrated in the mountain areas of north-western Tuscany, alongside resilient territorial clusters, more widespread in the southern part of the region. Furthermore, abandonment is more frequent in contexts marked by high land fragmentation, whereas market orientation, lower parcel fragmentation, production diversification, and environmental or quality certifications emerge as significant factors in mitigating the phenomenon.
