ABSTRACT
Urban fringe areas have been chosen because processes of urbanization are increasingly dominant in developed countries, while the effects of urbanization are most clearly demonstrated at the urban fringe. Urbanization, associated with the process of economic development, has been one of the most general trends in society in the last half-century. Capital has become a major preoccupation of modern farming, as economic and technological development forces have dictated more and more non-farm inputs be used in the agricultural production process. Furthermore, the seasonality of agricultural production still means that locally produced products may maintain a certain monopoly on local and regional markets, despite higher production costs. Finally, it is important to note that within the areas surrounding cities, all this is taking place within a general regional agricultural environment which is oriented to markets much broader than the regional urban market.
