Food Economics and European Legislation
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with economic framework and methodologies for the analysis of the agri-food market and the vertical organization of supply chains. The course also aims to provide students with the knowledge related to some problems of the food system (undernutrition, obesity, environmental sustainability) as well as providing knowledge on EU policies and the main intervention tools.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the teaching course the students will be able to examine and propose solutions to the most common problems of the agri-food market on the basis of their knowledge concerning the organization of food chains, food consumptions and the EU food policy.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
First part - the market analysis in the economic theory
market failures;
transaction costs;
economic welfare and public intervention.
Second part - the agri-food system
economic analysis of food consumptions;
quality attributes of food products;
economic analysis of food system
recent trends in the agriculture, processing, retailing and catering sectors;
internationalisation and trade of food products;
vertical organisation of food supply chains;
economic issues of word hunger;
economic issues of obesity.
Third part - food policies
food policies and public intervention;
economic issues of nutrition labels;
economic analysis of food safety;
EU policy for food safety;
economic analysis of traceability and effects on chain organisation;
economic analysis of food sustainability and related policy.
market failures;
transaction costs;
economic welfare and public intervention.
Second part - the agri-food system
economic analysis of food consumptions;
quality attributes of food products;
economic analysis of food system
recent trends in the agriculture, processing, retailing and catering sectors;
internationalisation and trade of food products;
vertical organisation of food supply chains;
economic issues of word hunger;
economic issues of obesity.
Third part - food policies
food policies and public intervention;
economic issues of nutrition labels;
economic analysis of food safety;
EU policy for food safety;
economic analysis of traceability and effects on chain organisation;
economic analysis of food sustainability and related policy.
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is required
Teaching methods
Frontal teaching is the main teaching method. Attendance at teaching is strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
The slides of the teaching lessons and other references are regularly updated and are available on the Ariel platform.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral test aimed at ascertaining the acquired knowledge about the main elements of the economic theory, the different sectors of the agri-food system and the food policies.
The evaluation criteria will also consider the ability to organize knowledge discursively; capacity of critical reasoning and the quality of exposure. The result is communicated directly to the student at the end of the test and the evaluation is expressed in thirtieths. There are no differences of exam between attending and non-attending students.
The evaluation criteria will also consider the ability to organize knowledge discursively; capacity of critical reasoning and the quality of exposure. The result is communicated directly to the student at the end of the test and the evaluation is expressed in thirtieths. There are no differences of exam between attending and non-attending students.
AGR/01 - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL APPRAISAL - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours