Translating local stakeholders' perception in rural development strategies under uncertainty conditions: An application to the case of the bio-based economy in the area of Foggia (South Italy)

The experiment presented is a concrete example of how to gather and mobilize relevant knowledge from local stakeholders to support local agencies in designing effective local strategies. The hypothetical introduction of a bio-based industry in some rural areas from south Italy is used as empirical case. The application of Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) enabled small groups of participants to depict a clear structure of their knowledge. A fuzzy inference technique allowed to simulate the effects of several policy measures. The results consist of the identification of the preferred policy options according to the features of the local context.