Energy Production and Use in Multifunctional Organic Agriculture: Interpretation and Application of the Azienda Agricola Model for Energy Management

Giber, Valéria – Dinya, Anikó

Keywords: multifunctional agriculture, circular economy, renewable energy, Azienda Agricola model, agritourism, Q01, Q2, Q42

Multifunctional organic agriculture provides the basic conditions for sustainable food production and related services. The multifunctionality of agriculture includes systems of land use, complex, integrated pest management, nutrient supply, animal husbandry, genetic conservation, agricultural production technologies and energy utilization, as well as agricultural product-based, industrial activities and parts of the agriculture-related service sector, including tourism and hospitality. Agricultural production uses energy but is also well suited to producing energy within a holistic, circular economy system that focuses on managing production processes, product structure, waste management, energy production and use, and services in one single system. One such holistic system is the Azienda Agricola model, originally developed in the field of viticulture and wine production, but its wider application in all areas of agriculture can be strongly recommended, especially in view of the growing requirements of environmental, social and economic sustainability. Fossil energy is still very widely used in agricultural production and can be replaced by a new system based on renewable energy production and use, which significantly reduces the cost of producing organic agricultural products. The essence of the concept is, therefore, to construct and maintain circular economies based on the energy - food / finished products / services - zero waste cycle.

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