Do smart drivers in the food chain improve the links between cities and the countryside?

Rural regions in Europe are characterized by scattered settlements and urban sprawl. This has led to an entangled mix between cities and countryside. The main issue, among others, of such a spatial and functional emerging pattern is a generalized decline in both environmental conditions and well being. In spite of the relentless blurring of the differences between urban and rural functions over time, citizens still consider the countryside as the place from which primary goods and eco services are provided. At the same time, farmers are eager to boost their relationships with cities, which are seen as a promising growing food market. Bearing in mind as cultural and social needs also play a pivotal role in the relational game between city dwellers and farmers, we seek to shed light on the role of smart drivers who lead the future of the so called rural urban partnership. On the one hand, the vitality of rural regions close to cities has been recently advocated by an OCSE study. In this context our work considers the peculiar typology of a rural urban system, that of Central Italy. Focusing on specific study cases in the Marche Region, we have taken into account the relationships among Solidarity Purchasing Groups (SPG) and farmers, and the potentials of these two endeavors for sustainable and strengthened territorial economy and rural policy.