27333 - Agricultural Policy and Rural Development

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with adequate tools to understand and analyze the agricultural policy at EU and international levels. The process of European integration was based on two pillars - agriculture and nutrition - that have allowed us to begin the process of economic and political unification of the continent. Particular attention is given to the analysis of some aspects of the agri-food system and its implications for the global supply and demand, with the problems of food security, with the world market, with the natural environment and with the system of development aid. At the end of the course the student will have a detailed picture from the point of view theoretical, empirical and comparative, of the interventions (methods and tools) of agricultural policy and rural development.

Course contents

Unit 1. The agricultural policy instruments (4 hours)

1.1. Rationale of the agricultural policy interventions

1.2. Policy instruments for the markets control

1.2.1. Interventions on imports

1.2.2. Interventions on exports

1.3. The measures to stabilize prices and farm incomes

1.4. Control and management of stocks

1.5. Adjustment of production

1.6. Indirect instruments

Unit 2. The Common Agricultural Policy: from the origins to the Mac Sharry reform (6 hours)

2.1. The origins of the CAP

2.1.1. Agriculture and agricultural products

2.1.2. Common Market

2.1.3. Derogations from the common market principles

2.1.4. The common agricultural policy objectives

2.1.5. The common agricultural policy instruments

2.2. The pricing and markets policy

2.2.1. Positive consequences

2.2.2. Negative consequences

2.3. Towards the reform of the CAP: the first signs

2.3.1. the odds

2.3.2. the stabilizers

2.3.3. The structural measures

2.4. The CAP reform: the MacSharry plan

Unit 3. The Common Agricultural Policy in Agenda 2000 (4 hours)

3.1. The proposals

3.2. The objectives

3.3. Extending the boundaries

3.4. The reduction of support

3.5. Rural Development

3.6. The horizontal regulation

Unit 4. The Fischler reform (6 hours)

4.1. "Mid-term review"

4.1.1. Review objectives

4.2. Main elements of the new CAP

4.2.1. The aid decoupling

4.2.2. The conditionality

4.2.3. The modulation

4.2.4. Rural Development

4.2.5. Financial Discipline

4.2.6. The CMO

4.3. The support models in the New Member States

Unit 5. The Common Agricultural Policy after 2013 (4 hours)

5.1. The CAP in the new EU budget

5.2. The proposals on the new CAP

5.2.1. The "convergence" of direct payments between Member States

5.2.2. The "unpacking" of the Single Farm Payment

5.2.3. The Greening

5.2.4. The Capping

5.2.5. The active farmer

5.2.6. The new approach to rural development

Unit 6. The rural development policy (6 hours)

6.1. Definitions and concepts

6.2. The role of agriculture in rural development

6.3. The principles of rural development

6.4. The rural development policy of the European Union

6.4.1. Agenda 2000 and the creation of the second pillar

6.4.1.1. The principles of rural development and intervention measures

6.4.1.2. Rural development and multifunctionality.

6.4.2. The Fischler reform.

6.4.2.1. The three levels of programming for 2007-13

6.4.2.2. The LEADER program

6.4.2.3. The EAFRD and the objectives of rural development

6.4.3. Notes to the Health Check and the new challenges.

Unit 7. Instruments of governance for sustainable development of rural areas (4 hours)

7.1. Rural development for international organizations.

7.2. The new rural paradigm of the OECD.

7.3. The environmental dimension of rural development.

7.4. Tools for the analysis of rural development policies (indicators and resources).

7.5. The territorial capital: definition and application.

Unit 8. Practical application and seminars (24 hours)

8.1. Practical applications on literature review and data sources on-line

8.1.1. The major search engines on the web

8.1.2. The main scientific search engines on the web

8.1.3. The literature review in web

8.1.4. The main national and international databases

8.2. The European projects

8.2.1. Financing lines

8.2.2. Structuring a project idea

8.2.3. Drafting and discussion of a project idea

8.3. Seminars

Readings/Bibliography

During the course the professor will make available to students, on the ALMACAMPUS portal, specific educational material (in electronic format) which supplements the notes taken during the lectures.

The bibliography that we recommend is:

- Segrè Andrea, Politiche per lo sviluppo agricolo e la sicurezza alimentare, Carocci editore, Roma, 2008

- Simone Vieri, Agricoltura : settore multifunzionale allo sviluppo, Edagricole, Bologna, 2012

- Simone Vieri Politica agraria: comunitaria, nazionale e regionale, Edagricole, Bologna, 2001.

Articles, reports and other texts will be recommended during the course

Teaching methods

The course is divided into eight learning units. The first seven units are theoretical and made up of lectures, while the eighth is made up of specific exercises or seminars on key topics covered in the course. In particular, the first unit is a theoretical unit preparatory to the units from the second to fifth. The units from the second to fifth are focused on the Common Agricultural Policy analysis in which one party acts as a preamble to the two successive units focused on rural development.

Assessment methods

The exam will take place in two ways. The first involves the preparation of individual and group paper, that will be made ​​during the course. The second involves an oral examination (lasting about 20-25 minutes) able to verify the expected learning. In particular, the questions of the oral examination, cover topics developed in the teaching units.

Teaching tools

Blakckboard, projector, PC, ppt presentations, internet access, documentaries.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Falasconi