Lectures and final examination in Italian. Some course materials will be in English.
Course Content
This course deals with policy issues arising from agricultural and food markets. In particular it examines the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and food policy, and its connections at global (WTO), regional and local levels. Additional topics include food security and food safety, the signalling of quality characteristics of agrifood products with specific reference to geographical indications, short food supply chains, the contractual relations in food supply chains, the access to food.
STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING THE CLASS: course materials (handouts + selected papers, also in English) will be available on the e-learning platform before the start date of the course.
STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CLASS: powerpoint presentations , class notes and papers distributed during the course (also in English).
Learning Objectives
At the end of the course, students are familiar with the specificities of the agricultural and food sector that underpin government interventions. They understand different theoretical perspectives on government policies and policy analysis, and able to interpret current controversies surrounding agricultural and food policy. Students develop a solid understanding of the policy formulation process, and the role, rationale and economic consequences of government intervention in food and agricultural markets. They are familiar with the current policies in the agricultural and food sector in Italy, the EU and the world, and they know how the institutions responsible for these policies function. Students know some tools of public policy analysis and are able to uses in order to critically assess the effects of government interventions in agricultural and food markets and of their changes. Furthermore, students improve their presentation skills thanks to class presentations and discussions.
Prerequisites
SUGGESTED PREREQUISITES: Students have a basic understanding of economics. The course that contains prerequisites: Microeconomics
Teaching Methods
The course will consist of structured lectures and in-class activities that will expose students to all of the basic economic concepts with examples and case studies of real situations in which the knowledge acquired can be applied. Class discussion and online discussion will be encouraged during and outside course contact hours, as well as working in group. In some cases, class time will be allocated to solve and practice problems and exercises. Seminars and meetings with public policy actors and enterprises will be organised.
Structured lectures: 38 hours.
Class discussion: 6 hours.
Seminars: 4 hours.
Further information
The course will be held in the second semester (from March to May).
Type of Assessment
STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING THE CLASS: Written exam (with 6 open questions on different topics of the course), that can be followed by an oral examination (100% of the total mark).
STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CLASS: The overall grade for the course is based on the end-of-year written examination (with 6 open questions on different topics of the course, 70% of the total mark) plus one short essay and project works to be handed in during the year (30% of the total mark).
Course program
This course introduces students to policy issues arising from agricultural production processes and from food and agricultural markets, as well as to the main tools which can be used to analyse and solve these issues. In particular it explains the specific role of agriculture and food system in the economy and the subsequent special attention devoted to a separate agricultural policy by governments.
The course examines the rationale and the functioning for public intervention in agricultural and food markets, the functioning of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (market policies and structural policies), EU food policy, and its effects at national and international level. Both global (WTO) and regional policies are considered.
Additional topics include the support to multifunctional agriculture, food security and food safety, the signalling of quality characteristics of agricultural and food products with specific reference to origin of food by means of geographical indications, short food supply chains, the reduction of contractual unbalances in food supply chains, access to food.