Multifunctionality and Aid to Agriculture: A Local Vision of the Banana Sector in the Canary Islands, Spain

Abstract

Multifunctionality of agriculture is considered a legitimate objective of agricultural policies. Nevertheless, the debate to establish the best way to promote these functions as a whole is still open. This paper analyzes the legitimacy of European aid to agriculture from a local perspective, and under the argument of multifunctionality. To this end, the banana sector of the Canary Islands was selected as a case study, where a participatory study was conducted with all of the agents involved. The results show that European aid to this sector contributes to the achievement of social and environmental objectives. However, it was revealed that the aid should make a more concentrated effort to attain modernization and differentiation of local productive quality, and to promote competitiveness