• To develop knowledge of the issues related to the role of agriculture and the agri-food system in the process of economic development, as well as the functioning and organization of the agri-food system and the companies involved.

• To deepen theoretical and operational implications associated with market failures, such as externalities/public goods, transaction costs, and informational asymmetry.

• To enhance understanding of the economic, political, and institutional scenario of the agri-food system at the international, European, national, and regional levels.

• To provide the necessary conceptual tools for theoretical analysis and address the most relevant empirical questions in the current economic debate, including the effects of agricultural policies on international markets and the role of the agri-food system in environmental conservation, promoting development, and protecting human health.

Part I - The Agri-food System

Part II - Rules and Policies for the Agri-food System

Knowledge and Understanding:

Students should have knowledge of the main theoretical economic models for studying the agricultural sector and the agri-food system, the economic and institutional framework (international and community) of the agri-food system, and the analysis (theoretical and empirical) of its role in safeguarding natural resources and rural development.

Applied Knowledge and Understanding:

Students should be able to apply the acquired fundamental concepts during the course and apply them to real-life cases, including businesses, markets, institutions, and agri-industrial products.

Autonomy of Judgment:

By the end of the course, students should have developed a good ability to analyze the topics covered and critically evaluate the policies and strategies proposed to address the main issues of the agri-food system.

Communication Skills:

Students must be able to effectively communicate the concepts and skills learned, using clear, precise language and appropriate vocabulary. Additionally, they should be able to integrate and connect the acquired knowledge into cohesive and comprehensive frameworks.

Ability to Learn:

Students should have developed the ability to pursue further studies and/or acquire new knowledge, skills, and abilities through professional experiences and work conditions within organizations of the agri-food system and their respective environments.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

The course includes the use of various teaching methods:

• Lectures: The instructor will deliver frontal lectures to provide theoretical foundations, concepts, and frameworks related to the agricultural sector and the agri-food system.

• Seminars: Interactive seminars will be conducted to encourage discussion, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas among students. 

• Group Work: Students will be assigned specific topics related to the course and will work collaboratively in groups to conduct research, analyze case studies, or prepare presentations. These group activities will be presented and discussed in the classroom, fostering peer learning and enhancing understanding of the subject matter.

Innovative teaching methods

Debate.

Course books

Presentations, scientific articles, lecture notes. 

Assessment

The evaluation will take place through a written test consisting of 3 open-ended questions. The assessment is expressed in thirtieths. Each answer will be graded from 0 to 11 points. The test will be considered sufficient with a minimum score of 18/30. Honors will be awarded with a minimum score of 31 points. During the test, the student must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topics covered (both theoretical and practical) during the course.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

The teaching material and communications from the instructor are available on the Moodle platform at blended.uniurb.it.

Course books

Presentations, scientific articles, lecture notes. 

Assessment

The evaluation is carried out through a written test consisting of 3 open-ended questions. The assessment is graded on a scale of thirty. During the test, the student will have to demonstrate that they have gained a full understanding of the topics covered (both theoretically and in application) during the course.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.