Prof. Francesco Pagliacci (p), Matteo Zavalloni, Riccardo D'Alberto

The literature on urban expansion has mainly focused on its direct effects (e.g., soil conversion, pressure on ecosystem services, biodiversity loss), while largely overlooking indirect impacts on surrounding agricultural areas. In particular, little attention has been paid to how urbanization influences agricultural intensity, investment decisions, and the spatial reorganization of farming activities. This paper investigates how urban expansion affects the composition and intensity of agricultural land use in neighboring rural areas, drawing on von Thünen’s land-rent theory. The analysis focuses on the Emilia-Romagna Region (Northern Italy) and combines two datasets: ISPRA data on urban expansion and the iColt data on agricultural land use, classified into low-, medium-, and high–value-added categories. A regular 1 km × 1 km grid is used to harmonize spatial units, resulting in a panel of 12,443 cells observed in 2015 and 2022. The econometric approach relies on first-difference panel models with spatial specifications of urban areas, based on a queen contiguity matrix including first- and second-order neighbors. Results are consistent with von Thünen’s predictions: proximity to an increased extent of urban areas reduces low–value-added uses, increases medium–value-added uses, and favors high–value-added uses. Overall, urban expansion reshapes agricultural land use rather than simply reducing it.

Dr Luzia Antunes, Prof. Carlos Bacha (p)

Agriculture and livestock are not distributed homogeneously across the Brazilian territory. Among Brazil’s 27 states, the Southern Region, comprised of three states, layout over only 6.8% of the Brazil´s territory but accounted for 26.4% of the national Gross Value of Agricultural Production (GVAP) in 2017. Nevertheless, even within this region, agricultural and livestock production does not grow uniformly among or within its three states. For instance, between 1995/96 and 2017, the Southern Region faced a real increase of 71.6% in its GVAP, with growth rates of 90.4% in Paraná, 83.4% in Rio Grande do Sul, and only 20% in Santa Catarina. Several studies have examined the concentration and inequality of agricultural production distribution in the southern Brazilian states, but little attention has been paid to their spatial agglomeration and association. In this context, the objective of this article is to analyze the evolution of concentration, inequality, agglomeration, and spatial autocorrelation of the Gross Value of Agricultural Production, using municipalities in Southern Brazil as the unit of analysis for the years 1995/96, 2006, and 2017, corresponding to the three most recent Agricultural Censuses. To carry out this analysis, sixteen key indicators were employed to measure these effects, three of them refer to agglomeration, in addition to Moran’s I, used to assess the spatial association among GVAP of Southern municipalities. Results indicate that the intensity and trends of concentration, inequality, agglomeration, and spatial association of GVAP between 1995 and 2017 are not necessarily similar across different indicators. Nevertheless, the existence of concentration and inequality in the distribution of agricultural production within Southern Brazil during the analyzed period is unequivocal. The spatial distribution of GVAP per hectare reveals a persistent pattern of concentration, forming a high-productivity “arc” encompassing northern, western, and southeastern Paraná, western Santa Catarina, and northern and northwestern Rio Grande do Sul, creating a “strip” whose spatial extent changed between 1995/96, 2006, and 2017. However, some municipalities in Southern Brazil remain in lower productivity ranges, highlighting the uneven growth of this sector, measured by the Gini and Theil indices. The location quotient (LQ), the diversified agglomeration measure (ID, the inverse of the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index), and the agglomeration measure proposed in this study (referred to as IAD) confirm the existence of agglomeration phenomena as well as the LISA analysis has identified persistent clusters of high and low GVAP performance per hectare, reinforcing the existence of relevant spatial patterns in this variable.

Ms Cristina Margalejo (p), Dr Rosa Duarte Pac, Dr Cristina Sarasa Fernandez

Increasing awareness of climate change impacts on natural resources has strengthened public concern and authorities’ commitment to environmental sustainability and climate neutrality in Europe.
Recent literature has focused on the role of households in the European Union as drivers of environmental impact, identifying them as central actors in environmental policy design. In this context, shifts in demand, particularly those related to food consumption, contribute significantly to reducing environmental footprints and fostering the development of sustainable and resilient economies.
This provides the context for our research, which seeks to analyze the water footprint associated with food consumption in European Union households in 2018, distinguishing between processed and unprocessed foods. To achieve this, we develop an environmentally extended multi-regional and multi-sectoral input-output model for all the countries of the European Union. The study introduces a methodological contribution by disaggregating agri-food sectors into processed and unprocessed within input–output tables. This refinement allows for a more accurate assessment of the environmental impacts of consumption patterns.
The analysis examines the environmental impacts of three alternative dietary scenarios: (i) a reduction in processed and ultra-processed food consumption, replacing these products with nutritionally comparable non-processed alternatives; (ii) a transition towards the Mediterranean diet; and (iii) the adoption of nationally recommended dietary guidelines. The analysis evaluates the heterogeneous regional effects of dietary transitions on water use across EU member states.
Preliminary results suggest that reducing processed food consumption can significantly lower the overall water footprint of European diets, although impacts vary substantially across regions due to differences in production structures, trade dependencies, and consumption patterns.

Dr. Igor Sirnik (p)

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global challenge. Innovative agrivoltaic systems that combine agriculture and solar energy production is one set of the solutions to reduce these emissions and contribute towards food-system transition and enhancing rural entrepreneurship. Current research on agrivoltaics reveals a lack of knowledge regarding their effects on agriculture and Food-System Transitions. While agrivoltaics have been recognized for their potential to reduce water consumption through microclimatic modification and shading, and positively affect rural entrepreneurship,
empirical evidence quantifying these impacts remains scarce. Such studies are essential to advance food-system transition. This research aims to study the potential of agrivoltaics and its affects on agricultural production, water-use efficiency, food-system transitions and rural entrepreneurship.
The study focuses on agricultural region of Goriška Brda, known for quality viticulture. We used Geographical Information System datasets (e.g. land use, digital elevation models, solar radiation), remote sensing data, irrigation requirements per crop type, and energy production, to assess affects of agrivoltaics on crop production. Literature review on scientific and grey literature was used to assess the affect of agrivoltaics on rural
entrepreneurship. These datasets enabled a spatially explicit assessment of agricultural and energy system interactions within the study area. We created a model of agrivoltaics integrated in vineyards in the study area. The model included 10% coverage of all vineyards using solar panels over vine with east-west orientation and 60% transparency.
Preliminary results suggest reduction of crop water demand (up to 20%) and energy production of 1.064 GWh / year, roughly covering energy demand for 302 households in Slovenia. The yield quantity is expected to increase up to 20%. Moreover, agrivoltaics affect also quality of grape, by prolonging growing season and consequentially increasing grape components (e.g. acidity, anthocyanins). The study also revealed positive increase of rural entrepreneurship by increasing regional economy and vitality of the rural area.
Agrivoltaics is an emerging approach showing promise for energy and food production while mitigating conflicts between them. It enhances crop quantity and quality, water efficiency, contributing towards food-system transitions and enhancing rural entrepreneurship. Overall, agrivoltaics showed the potential to advance sustainable, climate-resilient farming and positively impact on food-system transitions.