The aim of this study is to assess the life cycle environmental impacts of greenhouse cropping across the Mediterranean basin, including the identification of hotspots. The trade-offs between area-scaled (1 ha) and yield-scaled (1 t) impacts are highlighted, as well. A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment is carried out based on primary data collected in four commercial greenhouses (Italy, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey), as part of iGUESS-med PRIMA project. The greenhouses differ for cultivation method and fertigation management. This study is a new contribution to the scientific literature by developing a comparative analysis in different socio-economic and productive contexts. The Italian case study is the only one with a closed-loop soilless system. This case study shows the lowest values for most impact categories (e.g. freshwater eutrophication = 11 kg P eq of; − 163

Abstract The transition to Agroforestry (AF) marks a pivotal shift from traditional agricultural practices towards more integrated, sustainable, and diversified farming systems. However, this transition is complex and poses several challenges requiring the cultivation of diverse species alongside crops, demanding careful management and knowledge of forestry and agricultural practices. This study aims to identify distinct farmer categories based on their stated intentions to maintain or adopt agroforestry practices. Then, the effect of sociodemographic, structural and economic factors on the probability of maintaining or adopting AF practices has been analysed among farmers of 4 European countries. Information was gathered through an online questionnaire from a sample of 376 European farms across five countries: Germany, Italy, Greece and Serbia. A multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) has been carried out to classify farmers into ‘active’ and ‘passive’ adopters as well as into ‘conditional-non adopters’ and ‘resistant non-adopters’ categories, by taking into account four future policy scenarios for 2030. Then, the determinants of AF maintenance or adoption were estimated using a multinomial logit model (MNL). Results show that both farm and farmer characteristics affect the probability of belonging to a specific category. Moreover, differences among countries have emerged. The results highlight the need for targeted policy interventions to support farmers in transitioning towards these practices. In addition, it is essential to design such measures in a way that accounts for farms and farmers’ differences and specific socio-economic and environmental contexts. The study findings would contribute to the scientific literature by providing empirical evidence on the heterogeneity of farmers’ intention to maintain or adopt agroforestry practices across some European countries. Furthermore, the findings would offer insights for policymakers to design effective supporting mechanisms to facilitate the maintenance and the adoption of AF.

Agriculture 4.0 represents a huge opportunity for the transformation of agrifood sectors. However, its adoption (and diffusion) in real-world farming contexts faces multiple challenges. This study focuses on greenhouse farming within the Mediterranean basin. It aims to assess the needs of actors involved in the uptake of Agriculture 4.0 and define enabling conditions to support achieving these needs, focusing on the introduction of an innovative decision support system in real-world greenhouses for tomato production. A qualitative and comparative approach is implemented, using participatory data collection methods with cross-disciplinary experts from four case studies across the Mediterranean Basin. Data are collected through one-to-one open discussions, supported using context and SWOT analyses to stimulate reflection and recall. The findings highlight the need to improve digital literacy among farmers and advisors, build trust through tailored education conditions and mentorship, and support young farmers with financial incentives and training. Market dynamics are relevant as well, pinpointing the need for stronger product images and increasing consumer awareness through certification and labelling. Great interest and technology potential emerges from the possibility to enable (partial) remote work thereby benefiting a work-life balance. Simplifying bureaucratic processes and enhancing policy support for cooperation and farmer unions are also essential for encouraging farmers to adopt digital technology.

Agriculture 4.0 technologies, including digital tools, e.g., the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing, promise significant environmental and economic benefits for intensive farming systems like greenhouses. However, their social impacts remain controversial and relatively underexplored compared to environmental and economic impacts. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by providing empirical evidence on actor expectations for the social impacts of Agriculture 4.0 technologies, specifically through the adoption of a decision support system in greenhouse farming. Using a qualitative assessment framework, the study explores the relevance and mechanisms of social impacts based on perspectives collected from four case studies in Almeria (Spain), Antalya (Turkey), Monastir (Tunisia), and Tuscany (Italy). The findings reveal significant regional variations in the expected social outcomes of decision support system's adoption. While improvements in learning and skills, health, and wellbeing are anticipated, challenges remain in addressing gender gaps and the inclusion of vulnerable groups. The study underscores the importance of tailoring Agriculture 4.0 interventions to local socio-economic and political contexts to maximise their benefits. It also highlights the need for continuous training, skill enhancement, and holistic societal interventions to ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners aiming to leverage digital agriculture for social sustainability.

European soils and their status is a matter of concern that has entered the policy arena and the objective to restore soil health is part of the Soil strategy to 2030. Aim of this study is to explore the integration of the concept of soil health and the provision of soil ecosystem service by conducting i) a content analysis of EU policies and ii) a scoping review of literature over policy instruments for soil governance. Results show a focus on soil fertility, mainly soil organic matter, while services such as conservation of biodiversity or cultural heritage still appear underrepresented. Findings are reinforced by the gap in literature, providing little evidence of policy instruments contributing to soil health. A more coordinated effort among policy sectors is required to prioritize soil health in the EU; invesitgating the role of market-based instruments could complement what public policies are lacking.

In early 2025, the European Union launched a new phase of dialogue on the future of agricultural and food policies, aiming to move beyond the sustainability-centred narratives of the Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy. The initiative, grounded in the “Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture” and the Commission’s communication “A Vision for Agriculture and Food,” reframes the role of agriculture within a broader geopolitical and socio-economic context. The Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of the Agricultural Economy (CREA) and the Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA) convened a study day to examine the relevance and the implications of the EU’s Vision for Italy. This paper presents a synthesis of the discussions and reflections, structured along four thematic pillars: economic, environmental, social, and institutional sustainability. The analysis highlights the structural weaknesses of Italian agriculture, the need for circular and diversified agricultural systems, the integration of agroecological and climate resilience strategies, the need for generational and social renewal, and the necessity for political reflection on the adequacy of the Italian agricultural policy governance system. By capturing the perspectives of researchers and practitioners, the paper contributes to the national debate on reshaping EU agricultural policy beyond 2027..

Agriculture 4.0 represents a huge opportunity for the transformation of agrifood sectors. However, its adoption (and diffusion) in real-world farming contexts faces multiple challenges. This study focuses on greenhouse farming within the Mediterranean basin. It aims to assess the needs of actors involved in the uptake of Agriculture 4.0 and define enabling conditions to support achieving these needs, focusing on the introduction of an innovative decision support system in real-world greenhouses for tomato production. A qualitative and comparative approach is implemented, using participatory data collection methods with cross-disciplinary experts from four case studies across the Mediterranean Basin. Data are collected through one-to-one open discussions, supported using context and SWOT analyses to stimulate reflection and recall. The findings highlight the need to improve digital literacy among farmers and advisors, build trust through tailored education conditions and mentorship, and support young farmers with financial incentives and training. Market dynamics are relevant as well, pinpointing the need for stronger product images and increasing consumer awareness through certification and labelling. Great interest and technology potential emerges from the possibility to enable (partial) remote work thereby benefiting a work-life balance. Simplifying bureaucratic processes and enhancing policy support for cooperation and farmer unions are also essential for encouraging farmers to adopt digital technology.

In early 2025, the European Union launched a new phase of dialogue on the future of agricultural and food policies, aiming to move beyond the sustainability-centred narratives of the Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy. The initiative, grounded in the "Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EUAgriculture" and the Commission's communication "A Vision for Agriculture and Food," reframes the role of agriculture within a broader geopolitical and socio-economic context. The Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of the Agricultural Economy and the Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics convened a study day to examine the relevance and the implications of the EU's Vision for Italy. This paper presents a synthesis of the discussions and reflections, structured along four thematic pillars: economic, environmental, social, and institutional sustainability. The analysis highlights the structural weaknesses of Italian agriculture, the need for circular and diversified agricultural systems, the integration of agroecological and climate resilience strategies with competitiveness, the need for generational and social renewal, and the necessity for political reflection on the adequacy of the Italian agricultural policy governance system. By capturing the perspectives of researchers and academics, the paper contributes to the national debate on reshaping EU agricultural policy beyond 2027.

Despite ambitious EU initiatives like the European Green Deal and the new EU soil strategy aiming to enhance soil health and protection, the effectiveness of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in addressing soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate impacts remains limited, especially in mountainous and vulnerable regions like Liguria, Italy. This study evaluates CAP's measures—Enhanced Conditionality (EC), Eco-schemes (ES), and Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES)—through a bioeconomic model, assessing the potential for policy mixes in preventing land abandonment and mitigating soil erosion exacerbated by climate change. Our analysis reveals that integrating action-based and results-based payments within AES, alongside EC and novel ES, can significantly enhance soil conservation efforts and prevent land abandonment in environmentally sensitive areas. The study introduces a nuanced approach to policy design and evaluation by examining the differential impacts of policy mixes that include innovative policy instruments and target hobbyist and small-scale farmers—a segment often overlooked in policy design. This inclusion is shown to be crucial for landscape preservation and enhancing the environmental performance of agricultural lands. The results demonstrate the potential synergies between various CAP instruments and the critical role of results-based payments in fostering innovative and flexible approaches to environmental stewardship among farmers. The advanced mixes, which includes a different blend of mandatory and voluntary instruments with results-based payments show a potential reduction in soil erosion, showcasing the importance of flexible and innovative approaches to environmental stewardship. At the opposite, in scenarios without CAP interventions, the simulations suggest a marked increase in soil erosion and land abandonment, emphasizing the crucial role of CAP measures in sustaining agricultural land use. The analysis contributes valuable insights for policy refinement, suggesting that a more integrated policy framework is necessary to meet immediate soil conservation challenges and align with the EU's overarching sustainability ambitions. The research highlights the importance of adaptive policy mechanisms that can respond to the complex interplay of climate change, agricultural practices, and environmental conservation efforts, thereby contributing to the resilience of European agriculture and the sustainability of its landscapes.

The agri-environment-climate measures of the European Union Common Agricultural Policy are incentives aiming to reduce negative environmental impacts and increase positive effects generated from agriculture. Several criticisms have been addressed to their efficiency and effectiveness and thus, the design of innovative contract solutions is currently suggested. Among the novel contractual solutions, there are result-based payments, collective implementation of measures, the engagement of private and business actors in value chains, and new forms of land tenure systems coupled with environmental clauses. Little is known about the factors at interplay influencing farmers’ decision to uptake such contracts. The present paper investigates the acceptability determinants of the above-mentioned novel contractual solutions concerning a sample of nearly 1900 farmers from 10 European Union countries. The analysis is based on a questionnaire built through a common research framework. We apply ordered logistic regressions: both proportional and partial proportional odds models are used. Farmers’ preferences are interpreted by splitting the innovative contractual solutions into 13 individual contractual features which are then modeled in combination with the structural characteristics of the farms and the sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics of the farmers. We estimate farmers’ willingness to enroll in result-based, collective, value-chain, and land tenure contracts and highlight the positive and negative factors potentially influencing farmers’ acceptability of each type of contract.

The inward flows of fruits and vegetables in the European Union are regulated by the import regime, consisting of a system of quotas and Entry Prices. The effectiveness of this trade policy has been under investigation since the early 2000s and is (still) debated. The pandemic has offered new insights. Growth in trade of fruit and vegetables (F&V) in the Mediterranean region, especially in Morocco, slowed down during the Covid-19 crisis. While reductions in trade of F&V are likely to be associated with shocks caused by the pandemic, the long-lasting effects of a well-established system of policy interventions in the sector should not be neglected. In other words, the effects of the Covid pandemic have only altered the volumes of F&V trade from Mediterranean countries. However, the continued occurrence of excess (low priced) imports of F&V from the Mediterranean region reinforces policy recommendations that point at the need to reform trade policy. The EU import regime should be simplified, by relaxing the controls on prices of imported F&V, and by negotiating off-season import quotas. The former would shrink running costs while the latter would lower competition among EU producers and Mediterranean exporters.

Food systems are responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Crippa et al., 2021), and the need to reduce these emissions is urgent. We developed a transformation framework outlining how climate change mitigation can be facilitated in the food system. Figure 1 centres around climate change mitigation in the food system as a common goal, which requires all actors to undertake necessary actions to achieve this goal. All food system actors (represented in four segments – research, government, civil society and supply chain) need to contribute and interact, and lack of involvement from any one segment limits overall progress. The detailed transformation framework is shown in Figure 2 and is described in the following. The research segment includes universities, research institutes and private industry with ideas, data and results being shared among them. This segment aims to generate knowledge and innovations in food production, making achievement of the common goal feasible. It receives funding and information in the form of data from other segments. If cooperation from this segment deteriorated, further innovation would be hindered, limiting progress towards the common goal. The governmental segment provides organisation for collective action towards food system climate change mitigation. This includes policies, such as regulations and financial support for agricultural producers, and public education, for example in relation to sustainable food choices. The government's role is to align the private good (i.e. consumption) with the public good, e.g. climate change mitigation. In turn, the government receives feedback about the effectiveness of regulation and support policies, and the prioritisation of concerns within the common goal. Lack of cooperation from this segment leads to ineffective or harmful regulations and support policies, mistrust from the public, and misalignment of research effort towards the public good. Civil society includes consumers, consumer groups, NGOs, as well as media, influencers and celebrities, focused on food system topics. They influence behaviour change in relation to food choices. Cooperation within civil society can lead to changes in food demand and therefore initiate more sustainable food production methods. The civil society segment can call for a focus on climate change mitigation in the food system in policy and research agenda. This segment includes all entities from farm to fork. Trust in innovation from research leads to adoption of climate change mitigation technologies and practices and improves production sustainability. Implementing governmental recommendations and responding to demand signals from the public requires belief in those signals to steer production to a more sustainable supply chain. Each of these four segments in the food system has a unique role to play in achieving progress within the framework. Without the cooperation of each, the framework would fracture and render the mitigation of climate change in the food system unachievable. This project has received financial support through the partners of the Joint Call of the Cofund ERA-NETs SUSFOOD2 (Grant N° 727473) and FOSC (Grant N° 862555). Open access funding provided by IReL.

In the Mediterranean region, the expansion of greenhouse horticulture has enabled the year-round supply of fresh vegetables. Compared to open field horticulture, this farming method can generate higher returns for farmers. However, it is often associated with significant environmental pressures. This research aims to pinpoint important opportunities for improvement of the environmental and economic performance of greenhouse farming in the Mediterranean region by showing the life cycle’s environmental and economic impacts and by highlighting life cycle hotspots. This is achieved through the combined application of life cycle assessment and life cycle costing to four case studies (commercial greenhouses) spanning the Mediterranean Basin (Italy, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey). The case study findings highlight the following environmental hotspots and related impacts: (i) fertigation management can generate up to 11,283 m3/ha/year of water use impact; (ii) fertilizer leaching can generate up to 27 kg of N eq marine eutrophication impact; and (iii) crop protection treatments can generate up to 130,037 kg 1,4-DCB of terrestrial ecotoxicity impact. The large use of plastic materials (greenhouse and fertigation infrastructures) is an additional critical aspect due to manufacturing and disposal, contributing to eutrophication impact categories. Economic hotspots are related to greenhouse management (up to 35% total costs of production) and hired labor (up to 40% total costs of production). The lessons learnt from these case studies offer valuable insights into the sustainability challenges of greenhouse horticulture across the Mediterranean region. The hotspot analysis points to the need for targeted interventions to mitigate the most critical impacts while ensuring economic viability. This study enriches scientific understanding by examining different production and socioeconomic contexts, offering crucial insights for the advancement of sustainable practices in greenhouse agriculture such as the use of decision support systems to optimize input use.

Ecosystems in rural areas play a crucial role in promoting human well-being and economic development by providing essential resources such as food, water, raw materials, and energy. Furthermore, rural ecosystems offer various services, such as recreational opportunities, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and environmental mitigation. However, a narrow focus on provisioning services has led to the standardisation of landscapes, decreased levels of biodiversity and reduced ecosystem services in several areas. Moreover, diverse rural landscapes can enrich the provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services. While much research has explored the relationship between land use, landscape, and ecosystem services, there is still a need to better understand the trade-offs and synergies between these factors in providing ecosystem services. To address this gap, we conducted an empirical analysis of the perception of ecosystem services provided by different rural landscapes in the Tuscany region. Specifically, we used the concept of morphotypes, which describes 'invariants' that distinguish six different rural landscape typologies in the region. We surveyed 28 experts to identify rural landscape contributions to 17 ecosystem services. Our results provide empirical evidence and insight into the mechanisms necessary to align the provision of ecosystem services by rural landscapes with current and future needs.

The European Union (EU) plans to decarbonize the region by 2050. As highlighted by the Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, food systems are essential for this transition. Here we investigate the resource dependence and carbon emissions of the EU-27's food systems from 2004 to 2014 via an ecological footprint (EF)-extended multi-regional input-output approach, accounting for demand and supply (including trade), and considering multiple externalities. Food contributes towards almost a third of the region's EF, and appropriates over half of its biocapacity. Average reliance on biocapacity within national borders decreased, while reliance on intra-EU biocapacity increased; yet a quarter of the biocapacity for food consumption originates from non-EU countries. Despite a reduction in both total EF and food EF over the study period, EU-27 residents demand more from nature than the region's ecosystems can regenerate-highlighting the need for new or strengthened food and trade policies to enable a transformation to sustainable EU food systems.

The objective of this study is to provide decision makers and policy makers with adequate information to support the diffusion of reuse strategies in Mediterranean greenhouses. Sixteen alternative scenarios are compared through eco-efficiency analysis, combining four technologies to manage drainage water (open-loop fertigation vs. wastewater treatment plant vs. cascade cropping vs. closed-loop fertigation) with two substrate materials and two substrate management options at end-of-life. System differences are modelled through detailed primary data, collected and validated via a multi-step process. Results show that cascade cropping and closed-loop fertigation have, respectively, the highest and second-highest eco-efficiency, with respect to their ability to reduce fresh-water eutrophication (up to-6,63 kg P) and marine eutrophication (up to-47.1 kg P eq), while generating profits for the farmer. Selecting a biodegradable substrate and reusing it on farm can increase greenhouse profitability by 20%. This article is a new contribution to the literature by (i) supporting the improvement and harmonisation of eco-efficiency analysis in the agricultural sector; (ii) providing a comprehensive comparative assessment that is missing from the published literature; (iii) giving special emphasis to data and the data collection process, to provide input to further research; (iv) by generating lessons learnt of practical usefulness for reducing uncertainty in decision making and policy making; (v) by delivering policy recommendations to address key barriers to the diffusion of eco-efficient greenhouse cropping. The involvement of local and multi-disciplinary stakeholders is required to improve the methodological approach and the acceptability of the pro-posed solution, especially in case of trade-offs among the different impact domains, and to identify and prioritise tailored interventions on the conditions and stakeholder needs.

Despite current EU initiatives give a new momentum to soil health and protection, the current Common Agricultural Policy has shown poor effectiveness. The abandonment of marginal land, lack of effective soil conservation practices, and consequences of climate change have exposed the already vulnerable agricultural mountain systems to growing pressures and risks. This study aims to analyse the effectiveness CAP measures and associated obligations (policy mix) in preventing erosion due to climate change in sensitive and vulnerable mountainous areas. It does so, by assessing the impact of various environmental policy mixes (i.e., eco-schemes/cross-compliance and agri-environmental schemes) in managing hydrological and erosion problems in the Liguria Region (Italy), which is characterized by a high-risk due to its orographic specific features. We use a bioeconomic programming model to estimate the impact of different practices on soil erosion under different climate change scenarios and understand how the adoption of these practices is influenced by the available policy mix. The simulation aims to analyse how various European support measures promote positive practices and provide suggestions to improve their effectiveness. Results show that a more incisive set of soil conservation measures is required to mitigate soil erosion across the EU within the 2021–2027 CAP.

European small-scale fisheries are confronted with several challenges, notably a decrease in the number of people engaged in capture fishing, growing competition from less expensive extra-European Union markets, rising operational costs, strict regulations and the depletion of fishing stocks. Many small-scale fishers must adapt to change to maintain or increase their income using different business strategies. In this respect, we argue that new and diversified institutional arrangements combined with building social capital can help reach long-term economic sustainability for small-scale fisheries businesses, as well as the social-ecological resilience of coastal areas. In order to understand and analyse the multiplicity of strategies applied by small-scale fishers-including expansion towards non-productivist activities, this article examines the role of new institutional arrangements based on small-scale, traditional, quality-orientated, multifunctional business strategies and non-fishing activities. Using a case-study approach, we analyse-in three different European fishery contexts (Greece, Italy and the UK)-how the interplay between building adaptive arrangements and the creation of social capital in selected small-scale fisheries provides relevant prerequisites for resilience.

The literature on migrants’ integration and wellbeing is ample, but the case of economic-asylum seekers in a protracted asylum application system is yet to receive sufficient attention. The economic-asylum seekers are a unique group who migrate with an economic motive but apply for asylum to achieve economic integration in the host country. We use the aspiration-capability framework and a mixed-method approach: participant observation, focus group discussion, and field survey, to study a group of economic-asylum seekers from Nigeria when they were waiting for their asylum decisions in Italy. We find that they evaluate their wellbeing by reflecting on their premigration aspirations, integration constraints, and capabilities. They report lower life satisfaction compared to their satisfaction in Nigeria, and were affected by several barriers including structural, psychological, economic, and social constraints. Our study generally describes what it is like to live in limbo and frustration, with a limited assurance for a better tomorrow. It gives voice to the economic-asylum seekers and contributes to the integration literature by examining their perceptions of integration constraints.