Barbara Pancino

The role of network creation and actor engagement in the adoption and diffusion of sustainable innovations in food value chains

The paper aims at understanding how innovations, that are promoted and facilitated by private actors, can be fostered by network creation and actor engagement in the agri-food value chains. More specifically, we investigated innovative governance mechanisms related to the introduction of new sustainable practices in food value chains and tried to evaluate the environmental, economic and social effects of these new practices. We use information derived from a case study based on an ongoing project in the North of Italy, where in 2013 a multinational corporation operating in the pasta and bakery sector has initiated an agreement with other three agri-food companies in order to facilitate sustainable sourcing from a group of farmers.

Verso i distretti biologici: un percorso di governance per lo sviluppo locale nelle Marche

The organic sector has been subject to great attention for long time, both from a regulatory point of view as well as from a research one. More recently, starting to think about the territorial connotation of organic farming and the benefits it can generate, the opportunity of organic districts emerged. The main objective of this paper is to discuss what should be the goals of an organic district, how to geographically characterize it and what are the conditions so that it can effectively contribute to promote organic farming, local development and the territory. In order to create a real added value, in the broadest sense of the term, it should be created a brand that is able to translate the identity of the area in an image, which is clearly perceived by the target audience. This result requires a governance model and a strategic approach, which is well exemplified by the Marche region case, where a process of identification of potential districts and activation of local partnerships for the establishment and management of the areas has been carried out

How Sustainable are Food Systems? One Step beyond the Concept

The sustainability of food systems is a topical issue in recent years, but the definition of this concept is still very unclear. This paper aims to face this challenge, in order to support a sustainability assessment of the food systems. Such a definition should tackle the underpinning dimensions of sustainability, i.e. the environmental, social and economic domains. Once the sustainability concept has been defined, an interpretative framework to assess food system sustainability can be proposed, and indicators to measure these issues are discussed. Many have already been tested at the operative level, but it remains unclear how to measure some social and economic issues. Suggestions on how to fill these gaps are discussed in the paper, so as to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how food systems sustainability may be measured in the practice.

Le filiere corte auto-organizzate dai consumatori: il modello dei Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale

Consumers’ decisions are increasingly influenced by ethical issues. In the food domain it has led to the spread of alternative food supply chains. These innovative food networks, deaply embedded in the local domain, are characterized by a strong focus on food sustainability. Among them, the initiatives promoted and selforganized by consumers are particularly interesting as they disclose a high potential of fostering wider social changes. In this context, Solidarity Purchase Groups (called gas after the Italian acronym) emerge as spontaneous associations of consumers with strong ethical motivations including environmental, economic and social issues, which are fast-spreading in Italy. The aim of this paper is twofold. On the one hand, looking at consumers, we analyze the profile of the Italian consumers who participate to gass, in order to more precisely identify the target of these experiences, on the base of a large survey held in Italy on short food chain consumers; on the other hand, from a strategic and operational level, we discuss how these innovative supply chain models are organized, drawing from data retrieved for the 117 gas s operating in the city of Rome. The results show that gas participants have some specific features compared to consumers shopping in other alternative food chains, both in the socio-demographic profile and in their purchasing behavior, which is characterized by a strong ethical motivation. Looking at the organizational models of the gas s of Rome, the results of the survey confirm that the social dimension is very important in the management of these groups, as well as the principles at the base of their constitution, which very often refer to environmental concerns about farming techniques, social commitment to the local community and trust-based relations with the producers. Nevertheless, beside the social and environmental concerns, the economic dimension is still very important, as shared purchases most of the time results in a significant reduction in prices. The evidences confirm that the gas model represents a very interesting object of analysis for economists. Indeed, gas s are an unique example of completely demand-pull innovative food chain. Besides, they are able to involve consumers with specific needs and a strong ethical motivation underpinning the food purchase.

Bioregionalismo: un quadro d¿insieme

Bioregionalism is a model of social organization based on the feeling of belonging to a place. It can be read from two different perspectives; in the one examined in this paper, individual activities are strongly dependent on environment and natural cycles, and the economy of the community aims to reach a complete social and environmental sustainability. In the text, after presenting the ways to identify bioregions and confronting the ideological and the pragmatic approach to bioregionalism, individual motivations as well as social and political principles on which is based the community organization are pointed up. These last aspects will be discussed referring on social life and economical relations among members of a specific bioregional community.

Misure agroambientali ed evoluzione dell’agricoltura biologica: un’analisi territoriale

The paper aim is to provide a contribution to the comprehension of the role of agro-environmental policies in the development of organic agriculture within a specific territory. To this purpose it was considered necessary to distinguish between certified and subsided organic agriculture, giving the measure and the reasons of this difference. The effect of the subsidies scheduled by the Rural Development Plan of Lazio Region on territorial evolution and distribution of organic agriculture in the province of Viterbo has been analysed. Farmer’s choices about converting to organic agriculture and the selection of cultivated crops have been influenced by the variables that determine the level of subsidies: cultural classes and preferential areas. More specifically, the definition of preferential areas seems to represent an important tool that politicians can use to orientate the future territorial development of this sector.