The future role of Agriculture in Multifunctional Rural Development: The case of Italy

This paper addresses the issue of the role of agriculture in multifunctional rural development in Italy. Italy is characterised by high heterogeneity in terms of territorial composition, rural areas and the role of agriculture. The paper reviews the main multifunctionality concerns in Italy, by discussing rural development issues and policies and addressing the role of agriculture in such a context. The further development of agriculture and related future issues are then discussed, both in terms of dominant themes and most relevant policy design issues

Innovation in Multiple Networks and Networks of Networks: The Case of the Fruit Sector in Emilia\u2010Romagna

In the paper we examine the issue of food systems in which farms participate in multiple networks that, for their part, tend also to be members of networks of networks. The issue is addressed through a descriptive analysis of the fruit sector in Emilia\u2010Romagna (Italy). The farms in the area tend to join a different network for each product/product type. Innovation networks are embedded in commercialization or input provider networks, but separate (parallel) networks also exist, particularly for basic research activities. Networks of networks are largely a product of the cooperative system. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for further research in multiple networking strategies and the connection between commercialisation networks and innovation

Factors affecting the impact of CAP scenarios on farm structure: an analysis based on stated intentions

Several authors have emphasised the effect of agricultural policy (such as SFP) as a driver of structural change. This paper aims to identify the determinants of the change in the use of productive factors under different policy scenarios. The analysis is performed ex ante, assessing the effect of CAP abolishment (as compared to the current CAP) on the use of productive factors, based on stated intentions by farmers. The results highlight the role of farm size, intensity and education in determining different patterns of reaction to policy changes. Also differences are identified among the three main component of structural change, land, capital and labour, with the latter being the less dependent upon the CAP

Assessing the effect of the CAP on farm innovation adoption. An analysis in two French regions

Literature on innovation adoption mechanism has emphasised the positive effect of Single Farm Payments (SFP) and Rural Development Payments on adoption of new technologies. In this context, the expected process of CAP reforming after 2013 is likely to strengthen the role of innovation in the European Union (EU). The objective of this paper is to identify the determinants of the adoption of future innovation, in particular in connection to past innovation, and to assess the role of agricultural policy in the promotion of innovation adoption. The analysis is applied to two regions (Centre and Midi-Pyrénées) in France. Two separate Count models are developed in order to explain famers’ stated intention concerning different intensities of innovation adoption under two different policy scenarios. Preliminary results highlight that the CAP strongly affects the decision to innovate and the innovation intensity, even if there is no statistical significance for the variable connected to the amount of payments or the level of payment per hectare

REAL OPTION MODELS FOR SIMULATING DIGESTER SYSTEM ADOPTION ON LIVESTOCK FARMS IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Innovation and new technology adoption represent two central elements for the enterprise and industry development process in agriculture. The objective of this paper is to develop a farmhousehold model able to simulate the impacts of uncertainty in SFP, the selling price of energy and agricultural product prices parameters on the adoption of methane digester for biogas production. The model implemented is based on a real option approach that includes investment irreversibility and stochasticity in relevant parameters. The results show the relevance of uncertainty in determining the timing of adoption and emphasise the importance of predictability as a major component of policy design

Innovation adoption and farm profitability: What role for research and information sources?

The paper analyses the determinants of farmers\u2019 adoption of innovations and studies the effect of the source of information and the connection with agricultural research on the contribution of innovation to farm performance. The paper uses primary data collected ad hoc in the Province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna, Italy) and analyses it through an econometric analysis. The results indicate that structural factors and farm specialisation still play a relevant role in innovation adoption. Connection to scientific research triggers significant improvements in terms of value-added and qual-ity of production but does not affect other profitability-related parameters. The results confirm the need for policy to better consider the role of intermediate actors between research and the farmer as well as to better clarify the final performance strategy in order to set the policy instruments right. The paper also highlights the need for fur-ther research about farms\u2019 proactivity in searching for and selecting information dur-ing the process of innovation adoption and competitive advantages in terms of profitability components

Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Italy: state of the art and selected research issues

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was implemented rather late in Italy. The actual implementation took place in 2006 with decree 152/2006 but the Directive was not completely effective until the beginning of 2009, when law 13/2009 provided for the implementation of river basin plans by basin authorities. The objective of this paper is to describe the implementation of the WFD in Italy and to discuss selected policy and research issues. The paper begins with an introduction highlighting the specificities of Italy in terms of water management. With regard to implementation, the general administrative setting, as well as the interpretation of WFD categories related to economic evaluations will be illustrated. Two major issues of particularly high relevance in the present debate are then discussed: a) the evaluation of environmental and resource costs; and b) water regulation in agriculture.Department of Agricultural Economics and Engineering, University of Bologna (Italy). Department of Statistics, University of Bologna (Italy)

Integrazione dei temi ambientali nella politica agricola: il ruolo delle valutazioni economiche

L\u2019integrazione delle istanze ambientali nella politica agricola costituisce un tema al centro dell\u2019attenzione negli ultimi decenni. Questo contributo ha l\u2019obiettivo di discutere i problemi di ricerca (passati e futuri) in tale ambito ed il ruolo dell\u2019analisi economica a supporto delle decisioni di integrazione delle tematiche ambientali nella politica pubblica in agricoltura, con particolare riferimento alla Politica Agricola Comune (PAC) dell\u2019Unione Europea (EU). Il contributo esamina in primo luogo l\u2019evoluzione del processo di integrazione delle istanze ambientali nella PAC. Di seguito viene discusso il ruolo dell\u2019analisi economica a supporto delle politiche con riferimento specifico a: la valutazione della relazione agricoltura-impatti ed il valore economico dei relativi effetti; la valutazione dell\u2019efficacia e dell\u2019efficienza delle politiche; il disegno ottimale degli interventi; gli effetti sul mercato e sulla struttura delle aziende; il coordinamento e governance degli interventi. I contenuti di questi ambiti di studio sono discussi identificando le linee di ricerca prioritarie per fare fronte ai bisogni emergenti. Il lavoro conclude mettendo in evidenza la contemporanea esigenza di una analisi di maggiore dettaglio degli strumenti di politica, accompagnata dallo sviluppo di una visione innovativa circa il ruolo della politica agricola nel contesto mondiale.The integration of environmental issues into agricultural policies has attracted significant attention in recent years. The objective of this paper is to discuss the (past and future) research questions in this area and the role of economic analysis in supporting decisions regarding the integration of environmental issues into agricultural policies, with a special focus on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU). The paper first examines the evolution of the process integrating environmental concerns into the CAP. Then, the role of economic analysis is discussed with reference to selected major issues, including: the evaluation of the relationship between agriculture and environmental impacts, and the economic value of such effects; the evaluation of policy effectiveness and efficiency; optimal policy design; the effects on markets and farm structures; and the coordination and governance of policy measures. The contents of these study areas are discussed and the research priorities required to meet future needs are identified. The work concludes by highlighting the need to develop more detailed policy analysis studies while, at the same time, developing a wider and more innovative vision of the role of agricultural policy in the global context

Ambiguity, Familiarity and Learning Behavior in the Adoption of ICT for Irrigation Management

Subjective behavior of decision makers (DMs) is paramount when modeling information and communication technology (ICT) adoption choices in irrigated agriculture. Here, efficient ICT aided irrigation plans often involve a certain degree of uncertainty, and differential attitudes toward it can cause uncoordinated actions between actors. Some DMs will implement ICT information, while others will not because they do not trust ICT reliability. This risks undermining the achievement of ICT benefits in terms of water saving at the irrigation district level. By distinguishing between differ ent sources of uncertainty, taking the form of risk and ambiguity, in the present paper, we developed a new decision model to assess the impact that subjective behavior and learning processes have on the efficiency of ICT-aided irrigation plans. A case study was selected to implement the model in simplified settings. The results revealed the potential of ambiguity to limit ICT information implemen tation and to hinder water governance. Implications mainly concern the development of uncertainty management policies to favor DMs becoming familiar with the new ICT with lower ambiguit

Provision of public goods by agriculture and forestry: Economics, policy and the way ahead

The provision of public goods by agriculture and forestry has taken increasing importance in the policy debate. The objective of this editorial is to set the scene for the special issue, to provide a summary of the main messages from the papers therein, highlight the most relevant lessons learnt for policy and generate insights for future research. The results highlight that there is a need to investigate further both the micro-mechanisms of decisionmaking, value creation and coordination among actors, including the micro-level issues in policy design, and to address the topic of public goods, taking a holistic view of how agriculture and forestry systems work. In order to meet these real-world requirements, different research approaches need to be better integrated, promoting crossfertilisation and synergies among different methodological perspectives, able to complement one another in meeting policy challenges