Luigi Mastronardi

Is agritourism eco-friendly? A comparison between agritourisms and other farms in italy using farm accountancy data network dataset

AbstractThis paper presents the results of research regarding the environmental performances of Italian farms with agritourism compared with farms without agritourism. In Italy, agritourism is considered an agricultural activity and can only be performed by a farmer. Moreover, Italian national legislation forces the farmer to dedicate himself mainly to traditional farming, rather than to tourism activities. For this reason, environmental performances have been highlighted by analyzing only features and production systems of the farms. By utilizing the most frequent indicators used in studies regarding sustainability, the authors show how Italian agritourisms tend to develop more environmentally friendly agricultural methods, which have a positive impact on biodiversity, landscape and natural resources. The empirical analysis is based on the Italian FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) dataset. The European FADN was created to represent farms’ technical and economic operation in the European Union and on which it drafts the agricultural and rural policies. The dichotomous structure of the dependent variable (presence or absence of agritourism at the farm) has a propensity for an assessment method based on Binary Response Model Regression.

INTEGRATED APPROACH IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION IN THE COASTAL ITALIAN AREAS

This paper analyzes the relationships between ‘biodiversity conservation’ and ‘landscape quality aims’ in the coastal area of the Molise Region in Italy, in order to provide useful tools for spatial planning choices. The fi ne-tuning of our methodology is the result of the substantial experience in research matured by the L.a.co.s.t.a. laboratory. Our research on regional coastal territory as embodied in the GES.S.TER Project, through the use of GIS software for spatial analysis, wants to reconstruct the main changes in the geography of the coastal zone such as the change of the coastline, variations in the river mouths and stretches of coastline erosion. It also wants to investigate major changes due to the settlement of the territory along the coast especially in relation to tourism activities.

Explaining determinants of Agri-tourism income: evidence from Italy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the income sources of Italian farm tourism businesses, considering some economic, social and environmental variables that represent internal business factors and highlighting their contribution to the development of this income. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis is based on the Italian section of the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) that includes 365 Italian farm tourism businesses. FADN is an instrument to assess the income of European agricultural holdings and the impacts of the Common Agricultural Policy. The analysis has been carried out through a Multivariate Regression Model. Findings The results of this paper have showed that some economic variables (food service, direct selling and public subsidies) determine an increase in farm income, whereas an increased number of family employees may have a negative impact on this income. Research limitations/implications External factors, such as proximity to urban or cultural centres, may impact on agri-tourism income, but these are not considered in the statistical analyses. Another limit of this paper is the exclusion of tourists’ motivational variables and others mostly referring to the market (pricing policies, promotional strategies, etc.). Furthermore, this paper focuses on a specific country and this could reduce the generalization of its results. Practical implications Thanks to the selected regression drivers, farmers who offer tourism services could recognize a priori their entrepreneurial opportunities and understand the variables on which to focus to increase their income, which could be in turn strengthened by policies seeking to develop the endogenous potential. Social implications Agri-tourism can fulfill various functions in the regional economy, with positive implications for the quality of life of rural societies. Originality/value On the European level, there is currently a lack of research studying the variables affecting agri-tourism revenue and entrepreneurial choice that mostly define profitability. This may be the first time that FADN data set has been utilized for researching farm tourism businesses in Europe.

Territorialisation dynamics for Italian farms adhering to Alternative Food Networks

Abstract The demographic processes of the last decades have led to variations in urban and peri-urban territorial configurations, questioning the patterns of traditional productive localisation. They have begun to outline new perspectives related to proximity to trading and commerce sites as well as to the services offered by the city. Business strategies, such as multifunctionality and diversification, have begun to consider these new possibilities that, at a larger scale, have triggered the process of territorialisation. The study analyses the influence of proximity to the city on the strategies of farms diversifying income through short food chains, with the aim of identifying the prevailing behaviours adopted in three different concentric areas at the urban centre of gravity: peri-urban, belt and rural. The study involves a dataset constituted by 217 farms, where each farm has been associated with a set of explanatory variables that outline some structural, social and economic characteristics. The sample has been segmented through a hierarchical cluster analysis, which allowed us to identify 5 groups of farms, after having reduced the number of variables through PCA (Principal Component Analysis). The results show that short food chains and, more generally, AFNs, are based on strategies alternative to those of traditional chains, and which involve a different economic dimension of the same chains and the construction of a different place-based agro-food system, also envisaging a re-localisation of space near the final market.

Socio-Economic Drivers, Land Cover Changes and the Dynamics of Rural Settlements: Mt. Matese Area (Italy)

Abstract The paper elaborates on the relationship between land cover changes and transformation drivers, by analysing the dynamics that took place between 1990 and 2010 in Mt. Matese area (Italy). Mt. Matese is an interesting case study which was included as a pilot area in the Italian Strategy for Inner Areas. Drivers related to land cover changes include population characteristics, the agricultural and production system, tourist offer, location and settlements dynamics. Land cover changes and the dynamics of studied drivers are analysed in-depth, through a descriptive and multivariate analysis. Results highlight the difficult situation of the study area for many drivers. However, the slow changes in land cover and the potentialities offered by the natural environment, as well as by the agriculture and tourism sectors, outline some development prospects. The paper outlines the current scenario in the area and provides useful references for future policies aimed at setting up this area as National Park and at implementing the Strategy for Inner Areas.

Methodological Proposal about the Role of Landscape in the Tourism Development Process in Rural Areas: The Case of Molise Region (Italy)

Abstract The landscape has always been a fundamental factor in defining tourist flow attraction for local development. In this paper, landscape related to tourism have been analysed using three different measurements through appropriate performance indicators and rationalised with the aim of identifying a scheme of mutual relations. Applying advanced statistical methods of ranking and data synthesis, the area investigated (Molise, Italy) has been divided into different zones. Each area described has a specific relation between tourism and landscape useful in the implementation of optimal promotion strategies and valorisation of the area. In marginal areas, tourism can have an excellent growth potential, since they are characterized by the high quality of the landscape. However, the analysis highlights some gap areas, which means the existence of areas with high quality of the natural and agricultural landscape is not associated with an appropriate tourism development, or areas where the high tourism development is not associated with an appreciable quality of the landscape.

The Landscape Assessment for New Energy Facilities. An Integrated Approach for Innovative Territorial Policies

The landscape impact of renewable energy facilities requires an approach designed to create a new infrastructure network, compatible with the landscape features and with the agricultural production. It is necessary, therefore, to consider the impact of the energy infrastructures, caused by the large size of the involved area, and consequently their influence on the fruition of the surrounding area and, as a result, on its land value. Our thesis aims to highlight the importance of the analyses of the visibility undertaken on a portion of land characterised by its strongly rural features, and to show, through some study cases, how the control and the management of these performances can be transformed into control and management of the visual-perspective relationship between landscape and observer. It is clear that the visual control alone cannot be considered as a total control of the landscape but it can become an important tool for monitoring transformations in specific areas and a useful tool in the territorial planning process.