LIBRI DI DOMENICO REGAZZI

In this paper we report our efforts to develop an inter-temporal model for the evaluation of the impact of organic farming on greenhouse gases emissions, that we called BIOSUS-MAD. The model focuses on the maximization of farmer’s net income though different crops rotations constrained to the use of resource inputs; outputs of this optimization process are numerical values for key variables useful to estimate a set of social, economic and environmental indicators. These indicators will feed a multi-criteria model providing a synthetic and comparable sustainability overall index. This approach makes MAD a potentially useful tool for policy-makers to get an ex-ante assessment of the effects of agro-environmental policies. The model can manage different scenarios and could provide useful information to policy makers by running simulations incorporating European economic and/or environmental policies.

Food production is not the only result of agricutlural activities and is more and more affected by a molteplicity of actors working in different production sectors. The system includes agriculture, manifacturing, distribution and connected services such as restaurants and food trade firms. Under this aggregate picture, the system represents one of the most important aggregates of the economy of our Country. Building on this general considerations, this work analyses, in the first part, the economic growth of the Country and the pattern of food consumption of this period, highlighting eventual relationships. In the second part, attention is paid to the food market and to the relationship with economic growth. The main element of interest of the present context of food market, that can be cause/conseguence of the econmic growth, are analysed.