B019356 - AGRI-FOOD ECONOMICS

Inglese

Basic concepts of agricultural economics. Agricultural supply, food demand and consumer behaviour, market dynamics and prices.
The evolution of agriculture: from productivism to multifunctionality and rural development.
The evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy in the European Union and its consequences.
The agribusiness: inter-firms coordination, food processing and distribution
Typical products and geographical indications for food and wine.
Short food supply-chains.
Food tourism.

Texts and other information will be available both on the course webpage
(http://www.andreamarescotti,it/Course_AFE.htm) and Moodle platform.
Attending students will normally study on the slides of the lectures and notes taken during classes, plus some papers provided during the course.

ACQUIRED COMPETENCIES AFTER THE COURSE:
Ability to analyse, interpretate, and describe the characteristics and the
dynamics of agri-food quality systems in the light of the evolution of
production and consumption models in developed countries.
Ability to critically analyse the effects of both public and private quality
regulation policies on firms and local production systems.
Ability to design valorisation strategies related to food tourism.

No pre-requisites. Suggested: Microeconomics (basic concepts), and any
other basic course related to Agricultural Economics.

Lectures, seminars, case-study analysis, individual exercises and team
work.

The course will be held from February to May 2023.
More information at http://www.andreamarescotti.it/Course_AFE.htm

The exam is normally written only, in presence. In case of restrictive rules due to Covid19 pandemia, the exam might be at Distance (on-line) via Cisco-WEBEX platform.

A) Exam in presence
If in presence, the exam is only written. It lasts one hour, and it is composed by 10 true/false questions (correct answer 1 point; no answer 0 points, wrong answer -0.5 points) and 5 open questions (maximum points for each: 5)
The maximum number of points that can be obtained is therefore 35, to which the points obtained from any exercises carried out by the student during the course will be added (attending program only).

B) Exam on line
If on line, the exam is composed by two parts, a written test and a short oral exam
B1) the written test will be available on Moodle, and it is composed by 15 questions, 13 of which are true/false (correct answer 1 point; no answer 0 points, wrong answer -0.5 points) and 2 multiple choice questions (correct answer 2 points; no answer 0 points, wrong answer -1 point), both for the attending and the non-attending program. There are 17 points available for the written test. A minimum score of 8 points is needed to access the oral part.
B2) After the written test, an oral test is held, normally on the same day as the written test. The points available for the oral test are 17.

The maximum number of points that can be obtained is therefore 34, to which the points obtained from any exercises carried out by the student during the course will be added (attending program only).
IMPORTANT: to take the exam on line students must be registered to Agri-Food Economics a.y.2022/23 on Moodle.

1. Characteristics and specificity of agricultural supply and food demand. The specificities of agricultural activities: production processes, characteristics and evolution of the agricultural sector, farmers' behaviour on the market. Price variability. Price and income elasticity of food demand.
2. The evolution of agricultural production and consumption model in advanced economies. The Modernisation paradigm in the agri-food system. Food processing industry and supermarket chains, and their interactions.
3. From Modernisation to rural development and multifunctionality: the new development model for agriculture. Short food supply-chains (farmers' markets, solidarity purchasing groups, community-supported agriculture, box schemes), typical products and geographical indications for food and wine products.
4. Food and tourism. Basic concepts.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being
Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities