Education
1989: High School certificate at Liceo-Ginnasio Statale “M. Minghetti” di Bologna.
1995, 5° of April: degree in Agricultural Sciences, score 110/110 cum laude at the Faculty of Agriculture, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.
Thesis on “International trade of Fruit and Vegetables: complementarity or competitiveness between the two hemispheres”.
1995, November: acquisition of the professional title of Agronomist
1999: Hired by the Emilia-Romagna Region as “Istruttore direttivo” – Division of Agriculture and Environment, Sustainable Development.
2000: Doctorate in Agricultural Economics and Policy. Ph.D. Thesis about “Nutrition and Health in the modern society: regulation and marketing of Herbal products”.
2001: Research Assistant at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Scientific Disciplinary Sector AGR/01 – Economics and Rural Appraisal
2002: Full-time Researcher at the Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Scientific Disciplinary Sector AGR/01 – Economics and Rural Appraisal
2012: Associate Professor at the Dept. of Agricultural Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Italy. Scientific Disciplinary Sector AGR/01 – Economics and Rural Appraisal.
Teaching
AC has been teaching Agricultural Economics, Firm Strategy and International Trade since the academic year 2003-04.
Teaching courses completed during the last 5 years at the University of Bologna (2019/20 - 2023/24):
- Principle of Economics, 1st cycle degree in Economics and Marketing of the agro-industrial system;
- International Economics of the agrifood markets, 1st cycle degree in Economics and Marketing of the agro-industrial system;
- Firm management and Strategy, 2nd cycle degree in Agricultural Sciences and Technology;
- Laboratory on Business model creation and Entrepreneurship, 2nd cycle degree in Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
- Member of the Internship Commission of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna.
- Supervisor of national and international bachelor and master thesis
- Supervisor of Ph.D. thesis.
- Good-Optimum scores in the evaluation schemes of the students.
- 2022: delegate for TOLC (test for the University admission) for Dept. DISTAL, campus of Bologna, in the UniBO TOLC Committee.
- Teaching activities at Collegio Superiore, an institution of excellence at the University of Bologna.
- 2021-22: module about “The EU Trade Policy review for GI agrifood products” (integrated course “The EU Trade Policy for a Sustainable and effective global governance”)
- 2022-23: module about “The impact of economic sanctions on the Italian agri-food industry” (integrated course “Effectiveness and effects of economic sanctions on the global and Italian economy: an interdependent approach”)
- 2023-24: module about “Elements and tools related to the agro-environment” (integrated course “EU policy towards more sustainable and modern energy: elements of European and international legal, financial and agri-environmental importance”)
- Coordination and Teaching of the Module 5 “Agricultural Economics and Market”, at the 2nd level Master about “Design and Management of innovative, sustainable and technologically advanced agricultural systems”, funded by the University of Bologna and Bonifiche Ferraresi SPA.
Research activity
Main fields of study:
- the agri-food marketing at a national and international level (with a particular interest for the agricultural commodity sector), value chain analysis and management;
- the consumer’s behaviour: attitude, perception, WTP
- technical-economical analysis of agrifood activities, firm strategy, and management (especially in the wine sector, fishery and aquaculture, and other productive chains)
- rural and environmental appraisal.
Most important international research project (last 5 years):
• 2018-2020: Type of action: RIA (Research and Innovation action) Topic: SFS-34-2017 Call: H2020-SFS-2016-2017 (Sustainable Food Security – Resilient and resource-efficient value chains) H2020, call SFS34-2017, "Towards Innovation - driven and smart solutions in short food supply chains" Acronym Project SMARTCHAIN. Coordinated by Universitatet Hohenheim, Germany.
• 2020-2022: Type of action: CSA (Coordination and Support Action) Topic: WIDESPREAD-05-2020 Call: H2020-WIDESPREAD-2018-2020 (WIDESPREAD), “Boosting Excellence in Experimental Research for Agri-Food Economics and Management”, Acronym Project AGRIFOODBOOST. Managed by the University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture (FAZ), Croatia.
• 2021: Participation in EIT FOOD (EU), RIS (Regional Innovation Scheme) Area of EDUCATION, Inspire Activity Line (Inspire). Organization and delivery of Summer school on Targeted Nutrition. Inspire Activity Line educates in Food Systems and nurtures the entrepreneurial capacity of talented individuals, involved in the innovation of food systems. Supply of lectures about food allergies/sensitivity from the economic point of view.
• 2021: Participation in ASEAN Regional Integration Support – Indonesia Trade-related Assistance (ARISE plus-Indonesia). Contact person for DISTAL dept. in Subcontract Agreement for Priority Area 4 – IPR Focusing on Geographical Indications. Assignment: to conduct an Export Readiness Assessment for 15 Indonesian GI products and design an enhancement program.
• 2022-2024: Type of action: Horizon IA (Innovation Action) Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01-04, “A hoListic framework in the quality Labelled food supply chain systems' management towards enhanced data Integrity and verAcity, interoperability, traNsparenCy, and tracEability”, Acronym Project ALLIANCE. Coordinated by the University of Thessalia (Greece).
Relevant National projects (last 5 years)
• 2019-2021 (postponed to 2023 due to COVID-19): PRIN Project (National Relevance Project). Title of the Project: Agronomic and genetic improvement of camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) for sustainable poultry feeding and healthy food products (ARGENTO). The rationale behind ARGENTO project is a win-win story: camelina represents an alternative oilcrop to be introduced into cereal-based cropping systems, able to grow with a low environmental footprint and to source valuable seed cake for poultry feeding (i.e. quails) to produce healthy meat and eggs. At this scope, new camelina lines with improved seed quality - a) reduced glucosinolates and b) reduced linoleic acid contents - will be tested in open field trials to source seed cake for quail feeding tests. The ARGENTO system will be thoroughly evaluated from the environmental and the socio-economic points of view, to determine its feasibility and repeatability. The ARGENTO consortium integrates 4 research units, with different and highly integrated skills/activities
• 2021-2023: Scientific Investigator for DISTAL (Dept. Of Agricultural and Food Sciences), Research Project “Plan for the promotion and development of the Italian Oyster Sector”, funded by the EMFAF (European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund), Measure 2.47 “Innovation”.
Since 1996 is involved in high-level National research project economic studies in the agro-industrial sector.
Many participations as lecturer and speaker at national and international congresses and conferences.
Membership
AC is member of:
- American Association of Wine Economists (AAWE)
- Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA)
- Italian Society of Agrifood Economic (SIEA)
- Center of Studies about Rural Appraisal and Land Economics (Ce.S.E.T.).
- European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE)
- 1996 (from-): Subscription to the Professional Order of the Agronomist of Bologna (Italy).
- 2015 (from-): member of the Italian National Academy of Agriculture (Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura).
- 2016 (from-): Vice-president of the Association of Graduates in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences of Bologna.
- 2020 (from-): member of the Board of the Association of Women Teaching at the University of Bologna (AdDU).
- 2020 (from-): member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Journal Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy.
Other Roles (last 5 years)
- 2016-2022: Vice-President of the Association of the Graduated in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences of Bologna.
- 2021-2025: Vice-President of the Professional Order of the Agronomists and Forestry Doctors of the Bologna Province.
- 2022 (dal 9 febbraio): a member of the Presidium for the Quality of the Ateneo of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna).
2017 e 2020: member of the Commission for the State Exam for access to the Professional Order of the Agronomists and Forestry Doctors of the Bologna Province.
Skills
Mother tongue: Italian
Foreign languages
English: C1 level
Spanish: low-intermediate
References
Authorship: more than 100 papers total, also in international peer-reviewed journals.
Reviewer for international journals focussed on agricultural economics and market and consumer behaviour.
Bologna, 2024, 29th of January
