The Metadistrict as the Territorial Strategy for Revitalizing the Rural Economy

Abstract

The purpose of this proposal is to explore a new concept of 'Metadistrict' to be applied in a region of Southern Italy – Apulia - in order to analyze the impact that the activation of a special network between different sector chains and several integrated projects may have for revitalizing the local economy. The Metadistrict model stems from the LAGs and the IPFs frameworks and it may represent a crucial driver of the rural economy through the realization of sector circuits connected to the concept of multi-functionality in agriculture, that is Network of the Territorial Multi-functionality (NTM). It was formalized through a simplified model based on Matrix Organization. The adoption of the Metadistrict perspective as the territorial strategy may play a key role to revitalize the primary sector through the increase of economic and productive opportunities due to the implementation of a common and shared strategy and organization.