A multicriteria tool based on FADN Italian dataset to assess the socio economic and environmental sustainability of agricultural systems under different scenarios

The paper illustrates a tool designed to assess the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of agricultural systems based on the Italian FADN dataset. The tool relies upon a set of mathematical programming models designed to cope with the available data in a multi-criteria fashion. Models incorporate the views of different stakeholders, including producers, consumers, and policymakers, and entail the identification of alternatives land uses and management options that determine specific economic, environmental, and social impacts. Indicators related to production cost, market prices, gross income as well as the use of fertilisers, labour and machinery allow identifying the impacts. We present a case study considering the Emilia-Romagna Region, which is located in the Po valley, North Italy, and represents one of the main agricultural production areas in the country. The study, based on data collected in the period 2012/2016, analyses alternative arable land use at the aggregate level, under different scenarios. Results show that this approach can support the identification of feasible cropping schemes and management options that are perceived as sustainable by the different stakeholders on the basis of the given indicators. This approach can also support the construction of a common vision since it allows exploring and comparing proper policy intervention alternatives.