The rise and approach of agricultural land assessments in Swedish municipal planning

Abstract

In response to a growing concern about the loss of cultivable agricultural land and identified shortcomings in how municipalities manage such land, many municipalities have begun conducting agricultural land assessments. These assessments aim to provide a more systematic basis for including the values of agricultural land in planning. This thesis investigates how such assessments are motivated, developed, and integrated within Swedish municipal planning. Through a qualitative multiple-case study of six municipalities, the analysis is guided by a landscape-oriented arena perspective and theories of neoliberal planning, which together highlight how local planning practices are shaped by both local context and broader economic structures. The results show that agricultural land assessments have increased attention to agricultural land and contributed to more consistent internal routines. However, their design and application vary significantly and are shaped by a combination of legal uncertainty and municipal priorities. This reflects a broader policy-practice gap in Swedish spatial planning, where decentralized responsibility is not matched with clear guidance or institutional support. As a result, the assessments function less as instruments of protection and more as tools for procedural legitimacy. The study concludes that while agricultural land assessments enhance the visibility and consideration of agricultural land in municipal planning, their influence on land-use planning remains largely dependent on local interpretation and priorities.