This study investigates the determinants of farmers’ intention to convert to organic farming, focusing on the role of perceived territorial capital in rural Paraguay. Despite increasing demand for sustainable agricultural systems, the adoption of organic farming remains uneven, particularly in developing countries. Existing literature has mainly examined economic, socio-demographic, and psychological factors, while the role of territorial context has received less attention. The analysis relies on primary data collected through a structured survey of 167 conventional farmers across four Paraguayan departments. A logistic regression model is used to evaluate the effect of different dimensions of territorial capital—environmental, institutional, economic, and infrastructural—together with socio-economic and organisational characteristics, on farmers’ intention to convert within the next five years. The results indicate that perceived environmental capital significantly increases the probability of conversion intention (AME = 0.097, p < 0.05), while social capital, proxied by cooperative membership, raises it by 17.5 percentage points (p < 0.05). In contrast, perceived institutional capital shows a negative association (AME = −0.059, p < 0.10), and market orientation toward local markets reduces the probability of conversion (AME = −0.314, p < 0.05). Economic and infrastructural factors are not statistically significant. Overall, the study contributes by incorporating a territorial perspective into the analysis of adoption intentions and underlines the importance of strengthening environmental resources and social networks to support agro-ecological transitions.

To address climate change, reducing food loss along the production and supply chain is a global priority. Addressing this challenge requires a shift in agrifood systems toward greater sustainability, in which new technologies and novel foods appear as promising strategies. Among emerging novel foods, 3D-printed foods are an interesting new food technology for food loss reduction, resource optimization, and by-product valorization. However, to reach market success, it needs consumer acceptance, a topic far unexplored, particularly in the Italian context. To fill the literature gap, this article investigates Italian consumers' intention toward 3D-printed savory snacks using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior, based upon the relevant literature. Survey data were collected, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed to test research hypotheses. Results show that attitude and subjective norms are the strongest predictors of purchase intention. In addition, perceived usefulness is shown to be a powerful construct, positively impacting attitude and subjective norms, while self-identity as a green consumer reinforces perceptions of the benefits of 3D-printed foods. Sensory appeal impacts consumer attitude. These insights have practical policy and micro-level applications, suggesting tailored strategies, educational campaigns, and supportive policies and marketing campaigns for fostering acceptance of 3D printing in the agrifood sector.

Biodiversity is increasingly threatened by challenges such as climate change, new land-use management, and emerging societal dynamics, emphasizing the pressing need for its conservation. The European Union prioritizes biodiversity conservation, as reflected in initiatives like the Green Deal Agenda and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Sustainable hunting is increasingly recognized for its role in biodiversity conservation, balancing ecological, economic, and cultural considerations. While hunting impacts biodiversity both positively and negatively, effective management requires collaboration among communities, researchers, and authorities to develop strategic plans. These plans are particularly relevant in agricultural and rural contexts, where hunting regulations intersect with land management, crop protection, and the socio-economic development of local communities. This study proposes an integrated participatory approach to strengthen public decision-making processes in biodiversity management. By combining different aspects of backcasting, participatory SWOT analysis, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the research demonstrates how structured stakeholder engagement can bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and policy implementation, contributing to more widely supported, sustainable, and actionable plans. The case study of the Apulia Region highlights the transformative potential of participation in wildlife planning. The results emphasize the importance of precise land allocation for hunting, with updated methodologies to accurately reflect the current land use. Regularly revising regional maps—including those for land use, renewable energy installations, and protected areas—are vital for effective management. The study offers both practical and theoretical contributions. Firstly, it supports policymakers in crafting strategies through participatory methods that boost implementation success. In addition, it fosters research that builds a scientific collaborative community by integrating real-world social and political factors.

Rural areas are crucial for green transitions, due to their resource-based economies and extensive scope, covering over 80% of EU territory and housing 30% of the population. Achieving sustainability in rural areas is complex, given the multiple socio-stechnical factors involved. This highlights the need for a comprehensive ‘policy mix’ that goes beyond myopic decisions focused on isolated issues and instead embraces a long-term perspective on resource management. The study aims to propose an innovative methodological approach for the design of policy mix to support green transitions in rural areas, using a Local Action Group (LAG) as a case study. The approach integrates participatory techniques involving experts and LAG member farmers, and two multi-criteria decision-making methods—namely fuzzy level-based weight assessment (LBWA) and the new fuzzy combined compromise solution (CoCoSo). Local stakeholders focused on adopting a biomass centre for the reuse of agricultural waste. The LBWA and CoCoSo methods then identified the best policy mix to address barriers and facilitate the innovation's implementation.

In recent years, policies have increasingly emphasized the need to support sustainability transitions. Aligned with this focus, scholars consider the circular economy a valuable strategy for advancing sustainable development. It is widely argued in the literature that overcoming the traditional approach of addressing individual environmental issues with specific policies can be achieved through the adoption of a policy mix. Moreover, a complex problem like sustainability transition, defined by specific characteristics, requires a solution with those same traits. In the literature, a policy mix is often presented as a solution to support sustainability transitions. To this end, the study wants to support evidence-informed policymaking by offering a multistage method based on participatory futuring to identify barriers and key actions for a policy mix formulation towards a circular economy. Specifically, implementing a backcasting approach allows for identifying key actions and actively integrating stakeholders' perspectives involving visions and pathways of system transformation. In particular, the process was divided into different stages: i) formulation of a circular economy scenario, ii) exploration of barriers, and iii) delineation of key actions to implement the scenario. This paper contributes to the literature on policy mix, employing a hybrid approach that combines backcasting and focus group techniques, using rural areas as a case study. This approach supports the idea that identifying future scenarios is a prerequisite for sustainable development and could be a strategic tool for encompassing environmental, social and economic spheres.

This study assesses the efficiency of agricultural residue production across regions within the framework of a circular economy. The objective is to identify the key factors driving performance and to provide insights for optimising resource use in line with the European Green Deal and the Common Agricultural Policy (2023-2030). We have integrated Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA-DEA), developing a composite efficiency indicator that enables the design of targeted policies based on the main determinants of regional performance. This indicator was applied to the Poland’s NUTS-2 regions and incorporates variables such as irrigation, agricultural land, employment, machinery, and crop type, allowing for a more refined evaluation of efficiency. Our approach offers a robust tool to support evidence-based policymaking. The findings underscore Poland’s potential to capitalise on significant agricultural residue surpluses for bioenergy and bio-based products, and advocate for tailored policy interventions, integrated evaluation methodologies, and enhanced support to address economic, environmental, and logistical challenges – thereby fostering a resilient circular economy.

The agri-food system is faced with numerous challenges of sustainability, calling for the improved evaluation of rural development projects. However, a gap exists in the comprehension of the application of both objective and subjective indicators in project selection criteria among regions. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring, in detail, the nature and utilization of objective and subjective indicators in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) environment in Italy. The approach entails the analysis of documents, with a focus on data relating to the AKIS initiative across regions. The comparative approach is also used to establish the priority that regions assign to indicators. The results include the use of both objective indicators, such as the number of sectors covered, and subjective ones, such as innovation and responsiveness to local needs. Besides, the comparative approach emphasizes the complexity of the AKIS initiative, with some domains tending toward objective indicators, while others tend toward subjective indicators. The study contributes to the development of a composite framework for evaluating rural development projects and emphasizes the need for further research to develop evaluation methodologies further, so that future frameworks will be standardized as well as sensitive to regional heterogeneity.

Rural areas are crucial for green transitions, due to their resource-based economies and extensive scope, covering over 80% of EU territory and housing 30% of the population. Achieving sustainability in rural areas is complex, given the multiple socio-stechnical factors involved. This highlights the need for a comprehensive 'policy mix' that goes beyond myopic decisions focused on isolated issues and instead embraces a long-term perspective on resource management. The study aims to propose an innovative methodological approach for the design of policy mix to support green transitions in rural areas, using a Local Action Group (LAG) as a case study. The approach integrates participatory techniques involving experts and LAG member farmers, and two multi-criteria decision-making methods-namely fuzzy level-based weight assessment (LBWA) and the new fuzzy combined compromise solution (CoCoSo). Local stakeholders focused on adopting a biomass centre for the reuse of agricultural waste. The LBWA and CoCoSo methods then identified the best policy mix to address barriers and facilitate the innovation's implementation.

Consumers are demonstrating increasing awareness towards initiatives promoting sustainable practices in the food sector. This is particularly pronounced among university students, a segment known for its receptivity to sustainability initiatives. Utilizing a choice experiment, this study examines the Italian students’ preferences for fruit juice produced by a hypothetical company. Specifically, the research explicitly assesses the premium price attributable to a circular economy certification—a relatively new standard—in comparison with the widely recognized and appreciated organic certification. Furthermore, the study evaluates the potential additive value of possessing both certifications jointly. Results indicate that consumers are willing to pay a premium for products labelled with circular economy attributes. However, in the presence of an organic certification, the additive value of the circular economy certification is diminished by more than half. Finally, consumers who have received environmental training demonstrate a higher premium for such products, highlighting the role of education in promoting sustainable choices. These findings suggest that a potential market exists for circular economy-certified products, providing an incentive for businesses to adopt circular economy practices. Environmental training plays a relevant role in fostering sustainable transitions, thereby underscoring the significance of education in shaping conscious consumer behaviour.

While public policy guidelines emphasise the need to consider sustainability issues as interconnected, policymakers often focus on specific problem areas. The concept of “policy mix” was introduced to highlight that adopting a single policy instrument is insufficient for effective territorial development and socio-technical transition. Starting with the need to foster a transition to sustainability and considering the synergies of a policy mix and the fundamental role of rural areas, this study aimed to explore the existing literature to determine the main topics on policy mixes in rural areas, the commonly used methodologies, the key features of policy mixes, and the suggested future research directions. This study was conducted using a scoping literature review and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology; it included 78 articles. This review revealed important gaps, such as the lack of ex-post evaluations of policies and assessments of governance impacts on policy mix implementation. This paper contributes to advancing the literature by helping the scientific community and policymakers understand the importance of implementing policy mixes.

Sustainability issues such as food insecurity, climate change, land degradation, economic development and food waste are the actual most important challenges at the global level. Among them, the food waste (FW) challenge has a great magnitude, emphasizing the importance of examining this issue. Specifically, there is a need to focus on the household level. Thus, this study aims to investigate and identify the main factors influencing FW household behaviors on which policymakers and stakeholders could outline specific and sustainable strategies. Starting from a large number of published studies on this subject with a similar aim but focusing on specific Countries or contexts, the goal of our study is achieved through the implementation of a systematic literature review followed by a bibliometric review using the VOSviewer software. The selected query generated a total of 235 matching papers from which only 111 papers were collected for the bibliometric review because of the inclusion criteria. The analysis showed the existence of four major research strands: the largest one analyses the antecedents of behavior during food management, including the implementation of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Other detected topics are the economic impact of FW, the effects generated by the Covid-19 pandemic on consumer behaviors, and finally, the environmental and social effects of FW. The objective of this study is to investigate and identify the main factors influencing FW household behaviors. The obtained output represents useful information for policymakers and stakeholders to outline specific and sustainable strategies to reduce FW.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the phenomenon of online food purchasing in Italy and, specifically, Italian consumers' future intentions to use these services even after the end of the COVID-19 emergency. To this purpose, to understand if these phenomena are robust enough to represent irreversible and well-established trends, in the present study, consumers’ Behavioural Intention was investigated. Design/methodology/approach A theoretical framework based on a preliminary literature analysis on the use of delivery services was developed. Then, an online survey was carried out in Italy during 2021. The data were then elaborated through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Following the verification of constructs reliability, a structural equation modelling (SEM) using the statistical tools, SPSS and R (Lavaan) was performed. Findings The results suggest that Behavioural Intention is influenced by items such as convenience, variety of food and time savings. Moreover, the relevant role of social networks and interpersonal relationships in influencing consumers' purchasing intentions has highlighted the importance of focussing on advertising campaigns and good “word of mouth.” Originality/value The present research represents the first attempt to investigate the food delivery and ghost kitchens’ phenomena, recently accepted thanks to the delivery applications use in Italy, a Country with strong gastronomic tradition and with an important digital gap. In this scenario, the research focused on the attention on the consumers' future intentions to use these services even after the end of the COVID-19 emergency.

Organic agriculture offers numerous benefits to the environment, consumers, and farmers. However, its adoption remains slow, particularly in developing countries, where smallholders face multiple obstacles. To overcome these obstacles, specific strategies need to be designed and prioritised (ideally, with participative methods), requiring a decision-making process that is usually complex, and calls for the support of sophisticated tools. To help address this issue, this study aims to assess the feasibility of using two multi-criteria decision analysis techniques, the best–worst method (BWM) and the fuzzy combined compromise solution (F-CoCoSo) with direct inputs from the farmers, to prioritise strategies for overcoming the obstacles to organic agriculture in two departments of Paraguay. The study involved interviewing local smallholders to identify the key barriers to adopting organic agriculture using the BWM. Then, a group of producers were selected based on a social network analysis to prioritise a list of 20 strategies using the F-CoCoSo technique. Results revealed significant differences in strategy rankings between both departments, reflecting variations in farm size and product specialisation. The study’s findings could benefit farmers and policy practitioners supporting organic agriculture and demonstrate the feasibility of using these sophisticated techniques to promote organic agriculture in developing countries.

Most EU policy documents highlight the need to ensure and contribute to the achievement of the multifaceted goal of social sustainability. In this framework, the paper investigates tokenism, a common phenomenon of crucial importance for rural development, although not widely studied. The paper focuses on a scoping literature review to analyse the forms of tokenism affecting the territorial development practices and which factors can prevent this phenomenon. More specifically, recent scientific papers dealing with tokenism, social capital, rural areas, and decision processes were analysed to shed light on the various underhand practices in which tokenism occurs and possible limiting factors. The results show the role played by adopting participatory approaches and by some variables (e. g., trust, influence, involvement, civic engagement, information) in reducing the phenomenon of tokenism. It is important to highlight how improving the local amount of social capital represents a key factor positively affecting the success of territorial development strategies. The originality and the value of the present study lie in the fact that notwithstanding tokenism is analysed by several authors, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies focusing on the relationship between tokenism and territorial development.

In rural areas, the fostering of new development paths requires a strategic planning process characterised by several kinds of uncertainties. The existence of multiple decision makers increases the complexity of the analysis, and it is difficult to identify a solution that is acceptable to the different stakeholders. This condition requires identifying appropriate methods to involve stakeholders and to reflect their different priorities. The objective of this paper is to test the suitability of an innovative methodological framework that integrates backcasting and multiple criteria decision-making tools. Backcasting would enable planners to acquire relevant knowledge of local stakeholders, while multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods would allow prioritising the alternatives. The results of the experiment offer technical advice to outline the development strategy of a Georgian Local Action Group. After a strategic analysis of the area, the Best Worst Method and the Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) were used to prioritise the desired futures for the development of the territory and to rank the main obstacles and opportunities, while strategic actions were identified through a backcasting approach. The resulting strategy seems to reflect the vision of most of the participants and is proven to be an effective and approachable method for rural strategic planning. Nevertheless, the main strength of the approach lies in its transversality and in its applicability to face complex issues whenever different actors with different interests come into play.

Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, tourist destinations have been increasingly selected on the basis of health, safety and social distancing criteria. In this framework, protected natural areas represent ideal tourist destinations due to the presence of wide and open spaces, services for tourists and attention to nature. The present paper focused on accessible tourism, a subset of sustainable tourism that is increasingly gaining greater importance within the tourism sector. By applying the Contingent Valuation Method, the study investigated whether potential tourists are effectively willing to pay extra money to be granted more accessible facilities in a natural area. To this end, a logit model was estimated to determine the probability that tourists exhibit a higher WTP for accessible tourism facilities. The analysis was carried out in the Gargano National Park, Southern Italy, an area traditionally characterised by large tourist flows that have increased further during the recent pandemic. The results showed that only a limited percentage of the respondents are willing to pay a higher amount for improved accessibility. These results represent an interesting starting point to outline an adequate strategy for the tourism valorisation of the natural area.

The agricultural sector is facing the challenge of climate change, which is increasing difficulties to the activity and the economic sustainability of the primary sector, also affecting farmers’ revenues. There is a growing need to support policy makers’ decisions and help them develop cross-sectional strategies to support farmers. To this aim and to collect useful information for policy makers and stakeholders for the development of efficient strategies for the management of dryland farming, the paper examines how this issue has been analysed in the literature. A mixed method, based on a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis of 79 Scopus documents using VOSviewer software, was applied. Major results highlight the need to implement participatory policy interventions so as to include farmers. It was possible to summarise the main adaptive and technical interventions implemented by farmers. The results indicated the importance of the concept of the resilience of territories and the need to analyse agricultural systems by considering their multifunctionality. The innovativeness of this study relies on its relationships with several policy aspects and not only with purely technical and agronomical features, analysing thus the issue from the under-investigated perspective of the global challenge, contributing to filling this literature gap.

An emerging segment of tourism demand is represented by accessible tourism, i.e. tourism activated in public spaces in the absence of any kind of barrier (architectural, cultural, sensorial, attitudinal, communicational and informational barriers) and, from a business competitiveness point of view, accessibility represents the precondition of any sustainable tourism policy and strategy. In this paper, we concentrate on tourism accessibility for people with disabilities. In particular, to better understand and overcome all obstacles that could impede travellers with special needs from enjoying their tourism experience, in literature is argued that the entire process of defining guidelines to improve tourism accessibility should follow a participatory approach from drafting to implementation. Therefore, to plan services for disabled people in addition to the mandatory requirements, our aim for the present paper is to apply a participatory approach involving stakeholders in the definition of a trademark specification. The experiment was applied to a protected natural area, namely the Gargano National Park (Southern Italy). Results confirm the relevance of adopting a participatory approach to involve stakeholders in the definition of a trademark specification granting disabled tourists with a wider accessibility to protected areas.

Over the last decades, the agri-food sector has been involved in a substantial process of internationalisation. For many agri-food firms, internationalisation has become a significant element of competitiveness and an essential condition for their survival and success in spite of the possible initial difficulties in competing and organising activities in uncertain and complex environments. These challenges concern mainly agri-food small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that, due to their size, are in a more vulnerable position in relation to trade barriers compared to larger firms. Based on these premises, we investigated the structure of the agrifood exports of a small region by exploring its characteristics and evolution over time. While this research is relevant per sé, it can also explain the macroeconomic dynamics of the whole area and determine the further development of agri-food exports of a small region to non-EU countries. The analysis concentrates on exports to extra-EU countries from agri-food firms located in the province of Foggia (the south-east of Italy), a small area characterised by a large presence of SMEs and micro firms that are mainly devoted to agricultural production and food processing. To answer the research question, we employ the social network analysis, a method increasingly used for analysing international trade patterns. The use of this methodology has allowed us to conduct an in-depth analysis of firms and countries that occupy a strategic position in the network. These actors are crucial for the network’s survival since their removal could make the network more fragmented and disconnected. The analysis has been conducted in a dynamic way by exploring the characteristics of the network in 2014–2019, allowing us to assess its evolution over time. The results show that the structural properties of the analysed network have remarkably enhanced over time. However, the current network structure is not satisfactory yet since it relies, for the most part, on the connections among a few leading firms and a limited number of destination countries.

Responsible tourism provides a particular lens by which to consider how to improve the sustainability of tourism with the ambition to enhance the positive impacts of mainstream tourism, while reducing the negative ones. In this view, facilitating travel for people with disabilities represents an exceptional opportunity, and the idea that what is accessible to one traveler may be very difficult to access to another one with a different type of disability, makes inclusive tourism a relevant part of the global sustainable tourism agenda. The present study aims to provide empirical evidence on the adoption of the principles of responsible and inclusive tourism within a national park area. To this end, the paper discusses the case of the “E-Parks” research project which investigated the area of the Gargano National Park (Italy) with a special focus on the problems faced by tourists with disabilities, and on the improvements to enable all tourists to have the full enjoyment of their tourism experience. The study contributes, therefore, to enriching the empirical literature on inclusive and responsible tourism that has its application in the design of trademark procedural guidelines enabling tourists with different disabilities to access a protected natural area.