Southern European farming regions, particularly those like Odemira in Portugal, face significant socio-economic and ecological pressures due to climate change, drought, and land degradation. These issues are exacerbated by decades of rural mismanagement and competition for scarce natural resources. To understand and address these challenges, a study in Odemira employed a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach, engaging local food system actors to assess the state of the region’s agroecosystem and envision more sustainable futures.

The findings confirmed that Odemira is a contested agro-territory where small-scale traditional farming coexists with large-scale intensive agriculture, leading to tensions over land use and resource management. While smallholder farmers maintain culturally adapted, resource-conserving practices, they face limited access to financial and institutional support. Meanwhile, export-oriented enterprises have expanded their influence, raising concerns over environmental degradation and social inequities. Despite these pressures, sustainable farming practices and collaboration between stakeholders show promise for driving an agroecological transition.

The study highlights that fostering food democracy and agroecological resilience requires not only technical solutions but also strengthened institutional support and participatory governance. Addressing structural inequalities and reinforcing the role of local producers in shaping agri-food policies will be critical to achieving long-term sustainability and food sovereignty in regions like Odemira.