Economic sustainability of early potato production in the Mediterranean area

The interactions between a given commercial enterpr ise, its territory and development, have become a key issue in recent years. Theories of economic dev elopment tell us that a territory may undergo development provided viable, economically sustainab le commercial activities exist. Based on the latter postulate, the present paper analyzes the economic sustainability of farming enterprises growing early potatoes in a Mediterranean setting. In particular, the study was conducted in south-eastern Sicily, island in the centre of the Mediterranean. The resu lts underscore their modest profitability, mainly d ue to a lack of entrepreneurial strategies aimed at en hancing production. This situati…

Evaluation of payment for ecosystem services in Mediterraneanforest: An empirical survey

Abstract The relationship between humans and the forest has always been an important element, sometimes characterizing in the history of man himself. During the last years, the socio-economic context is profoundly changed, diversifying economic services provided by the forest. In the past, in fact, the primary function of the forest was the firewood production, while nowadays it grants several socio-economic benefits such as climate change mitigation, soil protection, protection and conservation of biodiversity, landscaping and recreational value. So, in recent decades a new type of socio-economic interest was developed in order to create a market of goods and services for the forests, call…

LA VALUTAZIONE DEI PROGRAMMI DI SVILUPPO RURALE

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA BASS FARMS ACCORDING TO MARKET TYPOLOGY

Italy represents one of the main production countries of European sea bass and, in this context, Sicilian fish farms play a key role. Since in the last years the economic development has led to an increasingly globalized market, in this paper it has been carried out an economic evaluation of two Sicilian European sea bass farms according to the market typology in which their product is allocated: competitive and oligopolistic market. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis allows to understand how market prices could influence farm economic performances. Results showed higher profit for farm that sold product in oligopolistic market, even if sensitivity analysis highlighted that both farms were ve…

STRATEGY TO INCREASE THE FARM COMPETITIVENESS

Italy’s wine-growing production structure is highly pulverized. So, for many wine-growing farms loweri ng the production cost represents the only way of gain ing a competitive advantage. Production at average unit costs lower than competitors allows to improve prof itability. Among farming operations, winter pruning and tying of productive vine-branches require a high hu man labor. For this reason the paper presents the r esults of research conducted on a sample of Sicilian wine- producing farms in order to study the cost-effectiv eness to make the pruning and the subsequent ligation of productive branches with tools that facilitate the work. The economic analysis, after the determination o…

Il florovivaismo in Italia

Assessment of Italian energy policy through the study of a photovoltaic investment on greenhouse

The production of energy from renewable sources is a form of energy production that has less impact on the environment than the traditional one. For the farmer this new form of production represents an opportunity, especially for the economic benefits that can produce, both in terms of the incentives provided by the public operator and for higher revenues, deriving from the energy sale and/or the saving generated by self-consumed energy, that help to integrate the farmer’s income. In this paper, we analyzed a case study of a farm that has realized a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system on greenhouse. In particular, firstly the farm profitability and subsequently was estimated in order to…

CALANO LE SUPERFICI COLTIVATE A FRUMENTO DURO

Socio-economic assessment of direct sales in Sicilian farms

Many farmers today adopt direct sales as an entrepreneurial strategy in order to achieve a competitive advantage. The aim of this study has been to analyze the role that direct sales play in Sicilian farms and how the short food supply chain is able to valorize the endogenous resources of rural areas and increase the net income of farmer. Our results showed that direct sales, in conjunction with conventional sales, can represent a growing opportunity for farmers and lead to an improvement in the economic performances of agricultural businesses, an increase in farm investments and the creation of new job opportunities.

Aspetti economici e commerciali dell'arancia di Ribera

The Sicily is the first region for orange cultivation in Italy. This sector, throughout the ages, has been characterized by a decrease of the invested areas and by a reduction of the fresh product’s demand; in the meantime, the competitiveness of the new producer countries is increased for a better commercial organization and for lower production costs. The aim of the paper is to improve the knowledge of orange cultivation in Ribera area, in the province of Agrigento (Sicily). It is carried out a microeconomic analysis on a sample of 20 farms to determine profitability of orange cultivation by means of various economic indicators (production costs, profits, net incomes). The business survey…

IL MERIDIONE NEL FLOROVIVAISMO HA UN RUOLO DI PRIMO ATTORE

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF AQUACULTURE INVESTMENTS UNDER CONDITIONS OF RISK AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

This study aims to analyze, from a technical and ec onomic point of view, the choice between alternative investments in aquaculture under condit ions of risk and uncertainty. In particular, a comparative analysis has been conducted between an inshore and an offshore farm producing European sea bass in the Mediterranean Sea. The app lied model refers to the theory of subjective probability, assigning a different probability to e xpected incomes during the investment period. Resul ts show an economic convenience of inshore with respect to offshore farming.

La vitivinicoltura siciliana

The cost advantage of Sicilian wine farms

This study presents the results of research carried out on a Sicilian wine farm in order to demonstrat e the economic convenience of the mechanized harvest. After the determination of the minimum optimal farm size that justifies the introduction of grape harve ster in the farm, it has been estimated production cost and the relative profitability of two wine grape cultiv ars (Chardonnay and Nero d’Avola), comparing three hypotheses of harvest: manual, with farm property g rape harvester and with rented grape harvester. The economic analysis shows that the introduction of th e grape harvester in the wine farm is justified in large sized farms. However, even in small farms the use o f rented g…

La potatura agevolata conviene anche su piccole superfici

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PROCESS INNOVATIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OLIVE FARMS

Within a business enterprise, process innovations l ead to reduced production costs and to increased profit margins. In this study, we shall examine an olive farm that operates in a perfectly competitive market that has introduced a process innovation so as to contain labour costs and therefore production costs. So, the paper aimed at comparing economic co mpetitiveness of an olive farm that introduced mechanical olive pickers (process innovation) for h arvest respect to manual harvest. In the case under scrutiny, for the same price, the reduced productio n cost determined a shift from a situation of being at a loss to one of profit for the business. Economic analysis showed that introducti…

The Determinants of the Consumer Demand for Olive Oil

Are alternative food networks winning strategies to increase organic SMEs profitability? Evidence from a case study

The aim of this study was to understand how and how much alternative food networks (AFNs) contribute to increasing the profitability of the organic SMEs, compared to traditional organic sales channels. For this purpose, an economic analysis and an in-depth interview were carried out in a case study located in the Sicilian northern coast. Findings showed a clear convenience of the participation to alternative food networks compared to the case in which all farm production was conferred to traditional sales channels, highlighting an increase both of farm profit (+76.9%) and net income (+72.1%). However, the in-depth interview revealed that AFNs are a mean, not only to have economic benefits, …

Entrepreneurial strategies of Etna wine farms

Viticulture, as well as agriculture in general, performs an environmental and landscaping function and it encourages rural development through the creation of income and job opportunities in the areas where wine is produced. The wine sector, in fact, is of great social and economic importance within the Sicilian agriculture and food industry, because of the job opportunities it provides and due to Sicilian pedoclimatic peculiarities, variety of grape wines cultivars and production process. The present study aims at assessing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises that cultivate wine grapes in the Etna area. In particular, it has been examined a sample of wine farms that p…

Aspetti produttivi, strutturali e commerciali del florovivaismo in Italia e nelle regioni del Mezzogiorno

Effetti dell'applicazione dell'OCM vino nella vitivinicoltura siciliana: il caso dell'adozione del premio all'estirpazione dei vigneti

Cost-benefit analysis: A comparison between conventional and organic olive growing in the Mediterranean Area

The conversion from conventional to organic management of olive growing has many benefits, such as increase of biodiversity, reduction of soil erosion and lower environmental impact. Since olive represents a main crop in the Mediterranean area, from a social, economic as well as environmental point of view, the aim of this paper has been to determine if the conversion from conventional to organic olive growing can increase the profitability of the farmer in Sicilian farms. Economic analysis has been carried out by means of cost-benefit analysis and financial indicators (NPV, B0/C0, IRR) show that organic growing would allow a better profitability for organic olive farms respect to conventio…

Analisi sul consumo di Tonno in Italia

Giant reed as energy crop for Southern Italy: An economic feasibility study

Abstract Among renewable sources giant reed has attracted a growing interest as energy crop especially in Southern Europe, thanks to its low agronomic input requirements. This paper aimed at evaluating the economic feasibility of introduction of giant reed plantation as energy crop in the Southern Italy. In particular, an economic and financial analysis was performed by comparing giant reed (both for woodchip and chopped forage production) with traditional crops (pluriannual and annual) that are currently cultivated in the same area, such as wine grape, melon and tomato. Results showed the highest profitability of giant reed respect to other crops with current market prices. In particular, …

Post Feed-in Scheme Photovoltaic System Feasibility Evaluation in Italy: Sicilian Case Studies

: Thanks to national energy policies, over recent years the Italian photovoltaic (PV) sector has undergone an extraordinary growth, also affecting the primary sector. In this context, Mediterranean greenhouses are well-adapted to photovoltaic systems because they represent one of the most energy-intensive sectors in agriculture. The Italian feed-in scheme ended at the beginning of 2013, making it necessary to investigate the feasibility of photovoltaic systems devoid of any electricity production-related incentives. In this paper, production cost and profitability analyses of photovoltaic electricity have been conducted, considering Mediterranean solar greenhouses in which, thanks to net me…

Economic evaluation of introduction of poplar as biomass crop in Italy

Abstract Lignocellulosic biomass production deriving from agro forest species, as well as poplar ( Populus spp.), has denoted an increase in last years in UE also thanks to a series of policies aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and promoting renewable sources. In Italy poplar represents the main agro forest species and it is cultivated according to two different methods: very Short Rotation Coppice (vSRC) and Short Rotation Coppice (SRC). The aim of this paper has been to evaluate the economic feasibility of poplar as energy crop in the southern Italy and specifically to consider its competitiveness with respect to conventional crops. In particular, an economic analysis in a r…

La politica agraria per il comparto vitivinicolo

PAYMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY

Over the last years the interest in environmental s ervices provided by forests has considerably grow. This situation, in developed countries, derive from risi ng demand of new goods and services tied to landsca pe use and leisure activities. These can be considered such as no woody products and they represent externalities produced by forest that, if suitably utilized, could produce value for the area and earn ings for people living near forests. From an economic point of view, at the aim of providing these services, it is necessary the introduction of a suitable payment sy stem or, in alternative, a situation in which posit ive externalities of landscape, in sync with other good s/service…

La pesca dei gamberi di profondità in Sicilia. Analisi economica dei rendimenti della flotta strascicante

Culinary tourism experiences in agri-tourism destinations and sustainable consumption-Understanding Italian tourists' motivations

Culinary tourism represents an emerging component of the tourism industry and encompasses all the traditional values associated with the new trends in tourism: respect for culture and tradition, authenticity and sustainability. Italy is known worldwide for the richness and variety of its gastronomy, and agri-tourism represents one of the most important places where culinary tourists can experience local food and beverages. By using a modified version of Kim and Eves&rsquo

Profitability of artichoke growing in the mediterranean area

Cultivation of artichokes for production is significant in the Mediterranean Basin. Italy represents an important productive hub and in this context, Sicily has been one of the foremost production areas. Artichoke production is a stable element of either specialized or mixed production systems in the region. However, due to the economic recession and increasing imports of artichokes from North African countries, many companies are undergoing crisis, with concerns for the negative impact on the socioeconomic fabric, in terms of the rising unemployment an eventual collapse of this specific activity would determine. According to the theory of economic development, a prerequisite of a territory…

Economic evaluation of biogas plant size utilizing giant reed

Abstract Amongst energy crops for the production of biomass feedstock for biogas plants, giant reed (Arundo donax L) has been attracting attention in recent years in Italy. Undoubtedly, this is due to its potentially high yield in terms of biomass, low agronomic inputs, as well as for being eligible for European Union energy crop incentives. The aim of this study was to perform an analysis of plant costs considering three macro-categories (biomass, plant installation and transport). Also, we aimed to describe the economic performances of biogas plants, while progressively altering two key variables. Specifically, we considered electrical power capacity (in the 100–999 kW range) and several …

Lo scenario olivicolo mondiale ed europeo

Giant reedasenergycropforSouthernItaly: An economicfeasibilitystudy

Among renewablesourcesgiantreedhasattractedagrowinginterestasenergycropespeciallyin Southern Europe,thankstoitslowagronomicinputrequirements.Thispaperaimedatevaluatingthe economic feasibilityofintroductionofgiantreedplantationasenergycropintheSouthernItaly.In particular,aneconomicand financial analysiswasperformedbycomparinggiantreed(bothfor woodchip andchoppedforageproduction)withtraditionalcrops(pluriannualandannual)thatare currentlycultivatedinthesamearea,suchaswinegrape,melonandtomato.Resultsshowedthehighest profitability ofgiantreedrespecttoothercropswithcurrentmarketprices.Inparticular,giantreed destined towoodchipproductiondenotedthehighestannualgrossmarginwithavalueof647.10 € ha1, f…

Le imprese di trasformazione e commercializzazione dei prodotti biologici in Sicilia

Choice between alternative investments in agriculture: The role of organic farming to avoid the abandonment of rural areas

Abstract Sicily has a long tradition in citrus fruit cultivation that, with vineyard and olive tree, represents the main Mediterranean tree crops. Since many Sicilian farmers in recent years have decided to abandon conventional lemon orchards, in this paper we have evaluated the financial sustainability of organic lemon production by comparing it with the conventional one. Financial analysis has been carried out in a case study on the northwestern coast of Sicily, considering a 50-year economic life of an orchard. The results, per hectare of area, showed a clear advantage of organic lemon orchard. This was due to fewer labor requirements and to greater market appreciation for organic produc…

L’Industria ittico conserviera del tonno in Sicilia

L''industria ittico-conserviera in Sicilia vanta una tradizione antica. Nel presente lavoro si sono analizzate le perfomances economiche di alcune imprese ittico-conserviere presenti nel territorio siciliano. L''analisi mette in evidenza le particolari criticità in cui si trovano ad operare tali imprese.

Economic and Financial Comparison between Organic and Conventional Farming in Sicilian Lemon Orchards

Sicily has a long tradition in citrus fruit cultivations that with vineyard and olive tree represent the main Mediterranean tree crops. In this paper we have evaluated the economic and financial sustainability of lemon production, both in organic farming and in conventional farming

La vendemmia meccanica è sempre conveniente

Produzioni estere e prezzi bassi mettono in difficoltà la patata primaticcia

Il mercato del tonno rosso

Economic assessment of Eucalyptus (spp.) for biomass production as alternative crop in Southern Italy

The increase in energy prices and the stagnation of sales prices of the main agricultural commodities required a rethinking of farm production strategies. Since during the last years, thanks to a series of policies aimed at promoting renewable sources it has been a rapid diffusion of lignocellulosic biomass species, this paper aimed at evaluating the economic feasibility of the introduction of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) as energy crop for farmers of Southern Italy, by comparing it with traditional crop rotations. In particular, economic analysis has been carried out in a representative case study located in the Sicilian hilly hinterland where, in 2013, it has been built a biomass plant fo…

ASPETTI SOCIO-ECONOMICI DELL'ISOLA DI PANTELLERIA

Economic Sustainability of Italian Greenhouse Cherry Tomato

Greenhouse tomato cultivation plays an important role in Sicily, being the primary production area in Italy, due to its favorable pedo-climatic conditions that permit extra-seasonal productions. In Sicily, more than half of greenhouse tomato production is derived from the Province of Ragusa on the southeastern coast, where especially cherry tomato typologies are cultivated. Over the last decade, the Ragusa Province has registered a decrease both in terms of greenhouse tomato area and harvested production due to several structural problems that would require restructuring of the tomato supply chain. Thus, since recognition of real costs and profitability of tomato growing is a vital issue, b…

Tropical Fruits as an Opportunity for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas: The Case of Mango in Small-Sized Sicilian Farms

Over the last decades, in many rural areas in Southern Europe, farmers have abandoned agricultural activity, especially on small-sized farms, leading to an exodus from rural areas towards urbanized ones. In this context, in the early 1980s, some Sicilian farmers introduced mango on their small-sized farms, as certain areas of Sicily are well suited to tropical and subtropical crops, but also to meet increasing consumer interest for these fruits, as they are perceived as functional foods. This paper aimed to evaluate the economic sustainability of mango and to determine whether its introduction could be considered as an alternative to traditional crops. In particular, an economic-financial a…

Growth and sustainability of agricultural systems: the case of Sicilian wine-growing farms

International audience; The Sicilian wine-growing sector is characterised by the presence on the one hand of many small enterprises that limit their activity to the first stage of the supply chain (field production) and on the other of few enterprises that adopt a strategy of total vertical integration, from the production to the sale of wine. The first group of enterprises operates in a competitive market and in many cases with marginal revenues that are lower than marginal costs, leading entrepreneurs to abandon the activity of grape production. The second group operates in an oligopolistic market and it is able to compete in an international market. Findings reveal that competitive advan…

EVOLUZIONE E PROSPETTIVE DEL CATASTO TERRENI IN ITALIA

L'arancicoltura e la mandarinicoltura siciliana

Il paesaggio e l'ambiente

Economic comparison between offshore and inshore aquaculture production systems of European sea bass in Italy

Abstract Offshore production system is predicted to increase in the near future driven by the lack of coastal space and lower environmental impacts. The aim of this paper has been to evaluate the economic performance of offshore production system respect to inshore one, by comparing net present value (NPV), discounted payback time (DPBT) and internal rate of return (IRR) of two Italian mariculture farms that produce European sea bass. Results showed a better economic profitability of offshore farm, even if sensitivity analysis revealed that financial indicators of both aquaculture production systems have been very sensitive to market condition changes. So, offshore production system could r…

Organic farming and economic sustainability: The case of Sicilian durum wheat

In last years, the organic farming in the world is developing rapidly and Italy is the sixth country for organic area. Sicily is the main organic area of Italian territory and represents the first region for organic cereals. Among these durum wheat is the crop most widespread, especially in the hilly hinterland areas. The paper aims to analyze the economic sustainability of organic durum wheat. For this purpose, it has been determined the gross m argin of whea t within crop rotations of the Sici lian hilly hinterland, comparing 10 organic farms with 10 conventional farms. The results show a higher gross margin of organic wheat respect to conventional one, due to lower variable costs and hig…

The rural tourism as development opportunity of farms. The case of direct sales in Siciliy

Tourism has an important role modifying rural communities in their environmental, economic, social and cultural structures, processes and dynamics. In thi s context rural tourism plays a primary role becaus e it is not the rural product that reaches the consumer in the purchase point, but it is the consumer (tourist ) that has to move towards tourist destination to enjoy the pr oduct. So, the aim of this study is to analyse how the opportunities created by the rural tourism can repr esent a vector to promote the growth of farms and territory. Specifically, through a telephone survey conducted among the Sicilian entrepreneurs which j oin to the national network Campagna Amica, it has been an…

LA VALUTAZIONE DELLA POLICY PUBBLICA: LE POLITICHE, I PROGRAMMI, I PROGETTI

Le produzioni dell’acquacoltura nel Mondo, nell’Unione Europea ed in Italia.

Role of alternative food networks in Sicilian farms

Today the short supply chain can be carried out through several typologies which are called as alternative food networks (AFNs). In fact, according to some studies, it is an 'alternative' response to the dominant agro-food system, which offers the possibility to produce food products through supply chains that are opposed to long, complex and rationally organised industrial chains. In the last years many European farmers adopted short supply chain to commercialise their agro-food products and Italy is one of the EU members in which AFNs are developed, thanks to its numerous typical an local products. The aim of this paper has been to analyse the role that AFNs play in Sicilian farms and how…

L'arancicoltura e la mandarinicoltura in Italia

Aspetti economici della produzione dell'arancia bionda in biologico

The traditional function of Agriculture to produce food, today is substituted by multifunctional role in which the farm businessman becomes protagonist of territorial management an environmental preservation. Besides, the consumers orient increasingly their choices towards products obtained by a low land''s exploitation. The aim of paper is to highlight the technical bonds and the opportunities of organic orange cultivation. The study has regarded a sample of conventional an organic orange farms locaded in the Ribera area (AG), that is well-known for the cultivation of blonde orange. Microeconomic unalysis, through determination of production costs end principal economic parameters, has sho…

Le produzioni ittiche nel mondo, nell’Unione europea e in Italia

The Market Reorientation of Farms: The Case of Olive Growing in the Nebrodi Area

In addition to safeguarding the landscape, olive growing makes a unique contribution to protecting the environment and the agricultural ecosystem. Olive growing in mountainous and hilly areas is severely constrained by structural limitations. Rural tourism can be a potential strategy to increase the competitiveness of olive-growing activities. After an initial analysis of the relationship between landscape, tourism, and olive growing, this study focused on olive growing in the Nebrodi area. In particular, we examined two case studies of olive farms to analyze the related production costs and market positioning strategies.

Economic analysis of PV systems on buildings in Sicilian farms

Abstract The photovoltaic sector in Italy in recent years has experienced a rapid growth also in the primary sector, thanks to substantial incentives guaranteed by energy policies, simultaneous reduction of investment costs and tax benefits. In order to better understand the growth of the PV industry in Italian primary sector, the aim of this paper has been to evaluate the economic convenience of four PV systems on farm buildings located in four different farms of the north-western coast of Sicily and realized during the second and fourth Italian feed-in schemes. For each feed-in scheme it has been considered a PV plant that sells the electricity to the grid and another in which the energy …

Economic performance of biogas plants using giant reed silage biomass feedstock

Abstract With regard to energy crops for the production of raw materials to biomass for biogas plants, has developed a study to determine the optimal minimum size of a biogas plant powered by giant reed (Arundo donax L.) and utilizing livestock waste. In particular, all costs items relating to biomass supply, plant installation and transport costs were analyzed, by changing progressively two main variables: the electrical power capacity and the feedstock utilized (in the range from 100 to 999 kW) and the feedstock utilized, by substituting livestock waste with giant reed silage so as to determine the more economically advantageous option for the entrepreneur in proportion to power capacity …

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF SHORT-TERM DECISIONS IN WINEGROWING FARMS

The majority of small sized Sicilian winegrowing farms are placed in the first part of the supply chain. In this way they are subjected to the grapes prices fixed by the wineries, becoming price takers. This situation determines marginal revenues lower than average costs and in short-term a reduction of farmer income that it can allow to farm bankruptcy. In this context farmer should adopt economic strategies in order to obtain higher profit in a more and more competitive market. The aim of this paper is to understand whether, decreasing labor cost in short-term by means of process innovation, average costs of small sized Sicilian winegrowing farm do not exceed marginal revenues.

L’attività di pesca in Sicilia.

Analisi di efficacia e di efficienza della misura H "Imboschimento delle superfici agricole" del PSR Sicilia 2000-2006

La pesca marittima in Italia

La filiera corta: una possibile strategia per migliorare la competitività dell'azienda agraria

The paper aims to determine the possible competitive advantage for farms thatadopt a short supply-chain strategy. In particular, by carriying out an analysis of asample of fruit and vegetable farms, we wanted to find out how the business relatesto the market and the reasons that induced the entrepreneur to move into a shortsupply-chain set up. The study was prompted by the wish to determine, empirically,the economic benefits arising from the adoption of the short supply chain. In fact,there is a vast literature on the economic benefits produced by the short supply chainsuch as the demand stability due to customer loyalty and the ability to influencedirectly the price through the reduction o…

Per le arance negli ultimi 4 anni meno ettari e più quintali. Costi, profitti e redditi della varietà Brasiliano e Navelina

Strumenti programmatici a sostegno dello sviluppo sostenibile del settore ittico: le misure del POR Sicilia 2000-2006

Nel presente lavoro si esaminano, innanzitutto, i riferimenti normativi e gli aspetti programmatici dei principali interventi contenuti nel POR Sicilia 2000-2006 e messi in atto dalla Regione. In particolare, viene svolta un’analisi critica dei testi programmatici (POR e CdP) e dei principali atti amministrativi connessi all’attuazione (bandi, graduatorie, ecc.), con particolare riferimento agli obiettivi ed alle strategie stabiliti dai primi ed agli strumenti per il loro conseguimento proposti dai secondi, al fine di verificare: - le strategie attuate dal decisore pubblico per indirizzare le scelte dei soggetti beneficiari a favore di uno sviluppo sostenibile del sistema ittico locale; - l…

Efficacy and Efficiency of Italian Energy Policy: The Case of PV Systems in Greenhouse Farms

The production of energy from renewable sources is a form of energy production that has less impact on the environment than the traditional one. For the farmer this new form of production represents an opportunity, especially for the economic benefits that can produce, both in terms of the incentives provided by the public operator and for higher revenues, deriving from the sale of energy back to the grid and/or the savings generated by self-consumed energy, that help to increase the farmer’s income. In this paper, we analyzed a case study of a farm that has realized a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system on a greenhouse. In particular, firstly the farm profitability has been estimated a…

Le politiche paesaggistiche ed ambientali in Sicilia: una valutazione intermedia della Misura H del PSR 2000-2006

Le misure agroambientali e forestali previste dalla programmazione 2000-2006, ma anche le precedenti misure di accompagnamento, da un lato promuovono forme di conduzione dei terreni agricoli compatibili con la tutela e con il miglioramento dell’ambiente e del paesaggio, dall’altro incentivano l’impianto di aree boscate, rappresentando un intervento pubblico di forte impatto sul paesaggio. In tale contesto, il presente lavoro ha inteso esaminare preliminarmente il quadro normativo regionale, definendo i principali interventi messi in atto dalla regione Sicilia per tutelare e salvaguardare il paesaggio rurale. Successivamente, è stato ricostruito il processo di sviluppo della misura H del PSR…