Cultural Agrarian Landscapes: the case of the Valencian Citrus Fields as a GIAHS candidate (Spain)

The concept of cultural landscape has garnered significant interest in heritage studies, valued particularly for its ability to enhance citizens' quality of life. In an increasingly homogeneous world, agrarian landscapes are at risk of disappearing, as urban dynamics and socio-economic pressures lead to the abandonment of small-scale farming activities, dispersed habitats, and traditional knowledge. This increases their vulnerability and threatens the loss of landscape diversity that has historically characterized the Valencian territory. Orange cultivation in Ribera Alta (Valencian Community) has shaped a distinctive landscape closely tied to Valencian identity. This paper presents a diagnostic assessment to evaluate its potential designation as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The GIAHS designation would serve as a strategic tool for enhancing the value of this cultural agrarian landscape and preserving its tangible and intangible heritage.