Laura Secco – författare

This book contains selected papers from the LVIII Conference of the Italian Association of Agricultural Economists which was held in Palermo, Italy, from 29 to 30 September 2022.

The chapters discuss challenges and opportunities under the turbulent socio-economic and political situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It includes topics such as assessment methods and tools for governance of natural resources, ecological and digital transition in agriculture, agri-food and forest companies, markets and consumer analysis, recovery and resilience in rural areas, as well as strategies for the creation of sustainable value chains in agri-food and forest sectors.

This book addresses the role of social capital in promoting rural and local development. The recent financial and economic crises have exposed the European Union (EU) to an increased risk of social exclusion and poverty, which are now at the heart of its economic, employment and social agenda with explicit reference to rural and marginal areas (Europe 2020). The authors'' work from the notion that rural development is not imposed from the ‘outside’, but depends also on endogenous factors, namely local cultural and ecological amenities, eco-system services, and economic links with urban areas which expand rural opportunities for innovation, competitiveness, employment and sustainable development.