Research Area

Active Research fields

Topics of scientific interest cover different areas of the agri-food economics and agricultural and rural development policies and in particular: agri-food marketing, strategic organizational models in the SMEs, voluntary certifications and impact on the economic and financial performance, efficiency of agro-environmental measures, agri-food logistics, competitiveness of agri-food markets

Research projects of the last 5 years

 

Techno-Economics Analysis in the Sicilian Provinces for the implementation of the Fruit and Vegetables Project Pilot (Analisi tecnico-economiche nelle province siciliane per l’attuazione del progetto pilota per la filiera dell’ortofrutta). Period 2009-2011. Agreement between the DEMETRA Department, University of Palermo, and the Sicilian Region Transport and Communication. Scientific officer Professor Emanuele Schimmenti.

Production, processing, marketing and success of the firms in the Rural Development scenario (Produzione, trasformazione, marketing e successo d’impresa delle aziende agricole nel quadro del processo di sviluppo rurale). Period 2005-2011. Project funded by University of Palermo ex-quota 60%. Scientific officer Professor Antonio Asciuto.

Economics aspects of the flowers and ornamental plants products in the Southern regions, within the project “Valorisation of the flowers and ornamental plant products in the Southern regions – PRO.FLO.MER” (Aspetti economici delle produzioni florovivaistiche del Meridione”, nell’ambito del Progetto “Valorizzazione delle Produzioni Florovivaistiche del Meridione – PRO.FLO.MER). Period 2006-2009. Project funded by Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (Italy). Scientific officer Professor Emanuele Schimmenti, University of Palermo.

Impact of EU Policy on the Sicilian Agriculture (Impatto della Politica dell’Unione Europea sull’agricoltura siciliana). Period 2005-2009. Agreement between the Economia dei Sistemi Agro-Forestali Department (E.S.A.F.), University of Palermo and the Sicilian Region Agriculture and Forestry Department. Scientific officer Professor Maria Crescimanno.

Potential development of the organic medicinal herb sector in Sicily (Potenzialità di Sviluppo del comparto delle piante officinali coltivate con metodo biologico in Sicilia). Period 2006-2007. Agreement between the Economia dei Sistemi Agro-Forestali (E.S.A.F.) Department, University of Palermo, and the Consorzio di Ricerca BioEvoluzione Sicilia – BES. Scientific Officer Professor Maria Crescimanno.

A comparative analysis of the agri-environmental measures in Sicily and Andalusia (Un’analisi comparata degli effetti delle misure agro-ambientali in Sicilia ed Andalusia). Period 2006-2011. International cooperation in educational projects and/or scientific (CORI), University of Palermo. Scientific Officer Professor Maria Crescimanno, University of Palermo.

Organic farming in Sicily (L’agricoltura biologica in Sicilia). Period 2004-2005. Agreement between the Economia dei Sistemi Agro-Forestali (E.S.A.F.) Department, University of Palermo and the Consorzio di Ricerca BioEvoluzione Sicilia – BES. Scientific Officer Professor Maria Crescimanno.

Economic aspects of the logistic organization in the Sicilian flower and ornamental nursery (Aspetti economici dell’organizzazione logistica delle imprese orto-floro-vivaistiche siciliane). Period 2007-2013. Project funded by University of Palermo ex quota 60%. Scientific Officer Professor Emanuele Schimmenti DEMETRA Department.

Biofuels from renewable sources do not compete with food crops in a Mediterranean environment: Assessment of agricultural, environmental, energy and economic aspects (Biocarburanti da fonti completamente rinnovabili non in competizione con colture alimentari in ambiente Mediterraneo: Valutazione dell’impatto agricolo, ambientale, energetico ed economico). Period 2010-2013. Project BIO.FO.R.ME.. Scientific officer Professor Giorgio Schifani, DEMETRA Department, University of Palermo. DM n. 353 del 16/07/2003.

The EU Agricultural Policy: impact for the rural environment, with particular reference at the Sicilian region (La politica per l’agricoltura dell’Unione Europea: impatto per il sistema rurale italiano con particolare riferimento alla Regione Sicilia). Period 2007-2013. Project funded by University of Palermo ex quota 60%. Scientific Officer Professor Maria Crescimanno, DEMETRA Department.

Valorisation of small fruits - Sicilberry 2  (Valorizzazione dei piccoli frutti - Sicilberry 2). Period 2011-2013. Agreement between the DEMETRA Department, University of Palermo and the Sicilian Region Agriculture and Forestry Department. Scientific officer Professor Maria Crescimanno.

Management Plan (PDG) of the sites Natura 2000 Monti Madonie and Complesso Calanchivo di Castellana Sicula (Piani di gestione (PDG) dei siti Natura 2000 Monti Madonie e Complesso Calanchivo di Castellana Sicula). Agreement between the Ente Parco delle Madonie and the Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerche sulla Interazione Tecnologia-Ambiente (C.I.R.I.T.A.). Scientific Officer Professor Rosario Schicchi.

 

 

 

Collaborations

Prof. Demetris Vrontis, University of Nicosia (Cyprus)

Prof. Constantine Iliopoulos, PhD, Agricultural Economics Research Institute & Agricultural University of Athens (Greece)

Prof. Tufan Bal, Suleyman Demirel University (Turkey)

Prof. Lluís Miret-Pastor, Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)

Prof. Sergi Saurí Marchán, Centro de Innovación del Transporte – CENIT (Spain)

Prof. Francesco Contò and Dr Mariantonietta Fiore, Università degli Studi di Foggia (Italy)

 

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