THE EFFECTS OF CAP REFORM ON THE PERIURBAN AGRICULTURAL AREA IN THE PLAIN OF THE CITY OF ASSISI (CENTRAL ITALY)

In periurban areas agriculture can assume a multifunctional role that includes landscape conservation, sustainable resource management, biodiversity conservation, leisure activities, and can also maintain adequate conditions in densely populated areas for a safe and habitable environment. This study investigates the effects of the introduction of single farm payment on the periurban agricultural area in the plain of the City of Assisi, an area with a strong landscape value. A survey was carried out to determine: changes in production, changes on farm incomes, structural adjustments, the level of multifunctionality of periurban agriculture. Moreover, a survey of 355 residents was made to assess their willingness to pay for some positive externalities of the agriculture in this area. The results suggest the low-impact of reform on farms and the existence of a significant demand for environmental and social functions of the periurban agriculture of this region.Periurban Agriculture, Cap Reform, Economic Valuation, Contingent Valuation, Assisi, Agricultural and Food Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q10, Q18,

Multi-actor approaches to implement cooperative strategies and value chains based on sustainability

Abstract This special issue of Agricultural and Food Economics consists of four articles that were part of the scientific programme of the First SIDEA-SIEA Joint Conference, held in Bisceglie in September 2017. The conference afforded agricultural economists the opportunity to reflect on cooperative strategies to promote competitiveness of the agri-food supply chain, with a focus on environmental quality and social sustainability. The selected articles address these themes from different perspectives: those of firms, of consumers, and of policy makers, stressing that sustainability calls for the active participation of all of the actors. The case studies presented propose an effective interpretation of the strategies for value creation with respect to the challenges of climate change, food waste management, the development of marginal rural areas, and that of the fish sector

Worldwide opportunities in organic farms: key drivers and research implications of unwaged work.

In developed countries, the unwaged work provided by family workers is decreasing rapidly, replaced partly by the unwaged work of apprentices, interns, and volunteers from urban and suburban locations, compensated through a diverse mix of training, accommodation, and food. Our focus is on the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), an international network linking people who want to volunteer in organic farms with farmers who offer accommodation and food in exchange for work. To explore the WWOOF hosts, three main drivers are identified and based on recent academic literature, the major features of each dimension are discussed. Research implications are provided, including in-depth interpretation of unwaged farm work and identification of the elements that contribute to rendering organic farming a resilient agricultural system

Tasty or Sustainable? The Effect of Product Sensory Experience on a Sustainable New Food Product: An Application of Discrete Choice Experiments on Chianina Tinned Beef

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by verifying whether the degree of liking of a new food product influences people\u2019s preferences and willingness to pay from a discrete choice experiment when dealing with sustainable food products. To this purpose, we considered the case study of the introduction into the Italian market of a new food product: tinned Chianina meat. Among the attributes considered for this new product, two in particular were related to sustainability: organic breeding and the preservation of a traditional rural landscape. Half of the respondents underwent a sensory test before taking part in the hypothetical market (discrete choice experiment), while the remaining were administered the tests in reverse order. Tasting the product before the discrete choice experiment did not produce different willingness to pay (WTP) parameters as estimated by a taste factor interaction. However, separating the respondents into those who liked or disliked the product in the tasting condition revealed differences in willingness to pay results. The preferences are different for more than 50% of the attributes considered, and the magnitude of this difference is quite relevant. The WTP for one well known and certified sustainability related attribute\u2014organic breeding\u2014was not affected by the liking, while, for the other\u2014the preservation of a traditional rural landscape\u2014the effect of liking decreases the WTP. As a consequence, we suggest that tasting and liking studies should be routinely coupled with discrete choice studies when analyzing the introduction of new food products, especially when considering sustainable attributes in the experimental design. In the case of organic products where the expectations about taste are higher, neglecting to consider their sensory perception, along with the other discrete choice experiment attributes, could seriously undermine their long lasting success on the market

Evaluating consumer perceptions of social farming through choice modelling

This study aims to analyse consumer attitudes and to value their willingness to pay a premium price for ethical food from social farming by applying discrete choice experiment methodology. Two real products, zucchini and eggs, that were cultivated in an organic social farm with work inclusion by people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) were considered. We relied on these two products due to their different origins (vegetal and animal) and, in the case of eggs, to compare the willingness to pay for social farming and the preservation of animal welfare. We collected 255 complete questionnaires, and our results show that respondents have a positive willingness to pay for both products if they are obtained with the work inclusion of people with ASDs. For the work inclusion of adults with ASDs, the interviewees expressed a mean WTP of 0.69 \u20ac for a box of 6 eggs and 0.85 \u20ac/Kg for zucchini. This is particularly important in supporting the economic sustainability of an activity, i.e., social farming, that typically has higher production costs and therefore needs to be supported by public subsidies. The positive attitude of consumers in terms of their willingness to pay a premium price for these products could potentially allow a strong hybridization between profit (agriculture) and nonprofit (social) activities, which could potentially both guarantee economic sustainability to firms and benefit society. Such hybridization has its roots in the view of agriculture as an integral part of the community, where each member is doing his or her part with concrete actions, including those connected to consumption choices that contribute to support the social positive externalities generated by farmers\u2019 activities

the milk supply chain in italy s umbria region environmental and economic sustainability

This article aims to investigate the environmental and economic sustainability of five dairy farms in the Umbria Region (Italy). The study also provides an assessment of aggregate sustainability, which is less investigated with reference to cattle milk both globally and in Italy, through the analysis of the relationship between economic and environmental performance. Primary data were collected through a direct survey carried out in 2014. The environmental assessment was conducted with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) "cradle to farm gate" approach, while the economic dimension was evaluated by determining the direct and indirect costs related to the factors involved in the production process. A correlation analysis and a linear regression were performed in order to study the relationship between the carbon footprint (CF) and operating income. The average operating income amounted to 0.03 Euro/L of milk. The CF values of the five companies are contained within a variation range comprised between 0.90 and 1.76 kg CO 2 eq/L of milk. The existence of an inverse relationship between the CF of milk and operating income confirms the hypothesis regarding the possibility of implementing strategies aimed at improving performance in both investigated dimensions at the same time, thus increasing the aggregate sustainability

Le pacte agriurbain de la vallée ombrienne et les districts agricoles et culturels de Milan

Dans les zones périurbaines, les paysages agricoles possèdent des caractéristiques différentes, selon leur niveau d’imbrication avec les paysages urbains et leur structure de l’espace et de fonctionnement du système agricole. Afin de guider l’évolution visant à orienter le développement dans une perspective d’intégration spatiale et fonctionnelle, la gestion de ces espaces devient de plus en plus importante. En Europe, certaines expériences de gestion sont en train de se développer : parcs agricoles, projets agriurbains, districts agricoles, pactes agriurbains, pactes entre ville et campagne. Le succès de ces expériences, qui utilisent souvent une nouvelle signification de la « ruralité », est fondé sur une forte participation et cohésion entre les acteurs grâce à des pratiques de coconstruction de l’espace. Le propos de cet article est de présenter deux expériences de coconstruction des territoires agriurbains : le district agricole et culturel de Milan (Lombardie) et le pacte agriurbain de la vallée ombrienne (Ombrie), en analysant la construction du modèle, les échelles d’intervention, les acteurs socio-économiques impliqués et en considérant le rôle joué par les politiques mises en œuvre pour gérer ces espaces.In peri-urban areas, the level of integration with the urban areas, the spatial organisation of the city and surroundings and the functions of agricultural system determine specific features of agricultural landscapes. The management of these areas is becoming increasingly important in order to guide the evolution orienteering the development in a perspective of spatial and functional - integration. In Europe, some experiences of territorial planning as agricultural parks, agriurbain projects, agricultural districts, agriurbain pacts, pacts between city and countryside, are been developing. The success of these experiences, which often are expression of a new meaning of "rurality" are based on a strong participation and cohesion between the stakeholders thanks to practices of co-construction of space. The purpose of this paper is to present two experiments of co-construction of agriurbain territories : the agricultural and cultural district of Milan (Lombardia) and the agriurbain pact of Umbrian Valley (Umbria), analysing the construction of the model, the intervention scales, the socio-economic actors involved and considering the role of policies implemented to manage these areas

Analisi strutturale e interpretativa dell’attuazione della Misura 1.2.4. del Programma di Sviluppo Rurale 2007-2013 in Umbria

Through the Measure 1.2.4. - «Cooperation for development of new products, processes and technologies in the agriculture and food sector and in the forestry sector» Umbria Region has started an important process of agricultural innovation adopting the principles of the Agriculture Innovation System (AIS). Through an integrated analysis of innovation management, this paper analyzes the initiatives planned by the Umbria Region for the agri-food sector through the Measure 1.2.4. (Innovation Action Plan, IAP) relating to the ability to innovate (Innovation capacity, IC) of the agri-food sector. Data were collected through a desk analysis concerning the 137 projects eligible for funding in the period 2009-2014