Unibo Team Leader: Prof. Davide Viaggi, Dip. di Economia e Ingegneria Agrarie-DEIAGRA
The aim of the SPARD project is to develop a modeling tool that will help policy-makers to understand the causal relationships between rural development measures and their results in a spatial dimension. Based on spatial-econometric analysis it will include ex-post evaluation options and the extension to ex-ante assessment with the purpose of giving support
to the planning of targeted RD policies, programmes and measures. The project will compile a well-structured database, to organize both indicators from the Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF), distinguishing input, output, result, impact and baseline indicators, and other data specifically used by the RD management authorities in the Member States (MS), and extrapolate missing indicator values. This requires a procedure to standardize the utilization of results amongst users at different levels. The emphasis of the project will be the development of an analytical framework that considers characteristics and needs of target areas and target groups. The key task of the project is to develop a quantitative model, using spatial econometric modeling. This will allow the identification of causal relationships of RD policy implementation.
In this manner the cost-effectiveness of RDPs can be analyzed in their spatial dimension. Evaluations/ assessments of selected policies and measures and their impacts will be made at the EU-27 scale. Furthermore it shall be demonstrated that the methodology is feasible at different scales of application and levels of data aggregation. Validation of the modeling
framework will be carried out in 5 case study regions. The end product of SPARD will be a multiple-option and variable-scale DSS tool capable for use in horizontal and vertical evaluations. As a collaborative project, SPARD will make efforts to broaden the proved expertise of the consortium by integration of stakeholders, external experts and end-users in the overall process.
Coordinator
LEIBNIZ-ZENTRUM FUER AGRARLANDSCHAFTSFORSCHUNG (ZALF) e.V. (Germany)
Other participants
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
- Dip. di Economia e Ingegneria Agrarie-DEIAGRA
- Resp. Scientifico: Prof. Davide Viaggi
LANDBOUW-ECONOMISCH INSTITUUT B.V. (The Netherlands)
AUSTRIAN RESEARCH CENTERS GMBH – ARC (Austria)
VERENIGING VOOR CHRISTELIJK HOGER ONDERWIJS
WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK EN PATIENTENZORG (The Netherlands)
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE (France)
THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (UK)
UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI (Slovenia)
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES – DIRECTORATE GENERAL JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE – JRC (UE)
Start date 01/04/2010
End date 31/03/2013
Duration 36 months
Project cost 2.494.069 EURO
Project Funding 1.910.590 EURO
Subprogramme Area Spatial analysis of rural development measures for effective targeting of rural development policies
Contract type Collaborative project-Small or medium scale focused research project