74874 - Principles Of Agricultural Economics

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Docente: Marco Setti
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: AGR/01
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Alfonso Bonezzi (Modulo Mod 2) Marco Setti (Modulo Mod 1)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo Mod 2) Traditional lectures (Modulo Mod 1)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Animal Production (cod. 8882)

Learning outcomes

Students will have in-depth knowledge of the functioning and prospects of the agri-environmental and environmental policies both at global and local level, on their impacts on the economic activities, and on the management of the natural resources.

Course contents

MODULE I. PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS (26 h and 4 h exercises)

1. Microeconomics (18 h):

  • market: definition, mechanisms, comparative static analysis;
  • consumption theory: Engel, demand and conditioning factors, consumer surplus;
  • business theiry: industry and level choices, supply and conditioning factors, firm surplus.

2. Environmental Economics (4 h)

  • welfare economics: efficiency and equity, market distortions;
  • environmental economics: the commons, market and environment.

3. Environmental Economics (8 h, of which 4 h group exercises):

  • welfare economics: efficiency and equity, market distortions;
  • environmental economics: the commons, market and environment.

MODULE II. ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRICULTURAL POLICIES (24 h and 6 h exercises)

1. Agro-food systems and elements of marketing (6 h):

  • marketing: definition, aims, and evolution;
  • marketing: contextual analysis;
  • SWOT analysis.

2. Marketing plan (6 h):

  • strategic marketing: vision, mission, goals, and plan control.

3. Agri-food and environmental marketing (18 h, of which 6 h group exercises):

  • tactical marketing: meaning, product, price, promotion, context, physical check, persons;
  • food products: origin, culture, symbolism, gastronomy;
  • food choices and role of media and social media;
  • food production, trade, and consumption and their impact on the agri-environmental systems;
  • food waste: definition and drivers, environmental implicaitons, and policy measures.

Readings/Bibliography

Varian H. R., Microeconomia, Cafoscarina, Venezia 2007 (capp. 1, 14, 15, 21 e 22);

Turner K., Pearce D., Bateman I., Environmental Economics, J. Hopkins Univ. Pr., 19933 (capp. 1, 2, 5, 8 e 10);

Panella G., Economia e politiche dell’ambiente, Carocci, Roma 2002 (capp. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 e 11).

Slides: http://iol.unibo.it (with further references and webography)

Teaching methods

Front loaded and active learning methodologies; group and individual exercises; seminars.

Assessment methods

The two Modules are part of the Course Principles of Agricultural Economics: knowledge and skills achieved with the two Modules are evaluated together on the basis of the following modalities:

a. regular class attendance: written exam (5 arguments, one hour);
b. not regular class attendance: oral exam (about one hour) on the course study programme (didactic material available on the University web site; selected literature: see "recommended reading").

Teaching tools

Laptop and beamer.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Setti

See the website of Alfonso Bonezzi