Rivitalizzare i luoghi marginali: una proposta di valutazione e monitoraggio. Strategie alimentari innovative per la gestione sostenibile del patrimonio socio-culturale

This thesis provides a comprehensive account of the activities carried out during the three years of the PhD programme in Ecology and Territory (36th cycle), in line with the objectives of the associated research project. The research project is entitled "Valorisation of Environmental and Cultural Resources in Fragile Areas through Innovation in the Agri-food System". This term refers to a segment of the economic system often referred to in the scientific literature as the "food system", which includes all the actors and their interrelated activities involved in production (starting with agriculture), distribution, consumption and post-consumption. Each food system is characterised by its geographical specificity and can be the subject of sustainable innovation at the local level through the implementation of a Local Food Policy. A Local Food Policy is a set of cross-cutting policies (addressing different economic sectors and areas of public administration that are typically poorly integrated) that establish a shared vision for the future relationship between the local context and food, and define the key actions needed to achieve this vision. In practice, this involves 'coordinated action by city administrations to address food-related challenges, resulting from significant engagement with civil society and other key stakeholders' (IPES-Food, 2017). The systematic approach of this research has identified the key challenges facing modern food systems. Various local governments have responded to these challenges by adopting food policies aimed at promoting equitable and sustainable systems, which necessitates the measurement of territorial impacts - an area of increasing focus within the scientific community, particularly in relation to urban areas. This research aims to fill existing gaps by proposing a new model for analysing the impact of the food plan implemented in a small village in Alto Medio Sannio. This case study serves as a non-urban example, providing a unique opportunity to explore how food policies can be effectively applied outside metropolitan contexts. Going beyond the tendency to limit food policies and their evaluation to urban or national contexts, the approach proposed in this thesis requires specific analytical and conceptual tools tailored to rural areas. Accordingly, this work includes a thorough literature review of the main tools for assessing the sustainability of food systems, in pursuit of the general objective of the research project: to propose an evaluation and monitoring model for the food plan of Castel del Giudice. The project has identified the following research questions: How can food policies contribute to local development? What innovations - technological, product or organisational - are proposed in the strategies and what good practices in food-related issues can promote territorial rebalancing? What instruments can be used to rethink the relationship between urban and rural areas? What governance model is needed for local authorities to effectively manage the food system as a key asset in their sustainable development policies? While the research initially focused on these questions, the study evolved in response to the empirical experiences and analyses carried out, which gradually shifted the focus towards the evaluation of food policies in different territorial contexts. This led to the proposal of a specific evaluation and monitoring model for the food plan of Castel del Giudice. Such an evolution has enriched the research, allowing a meaningful contribution to the scientific debate on how to effectively implement and evaluate food policies in different territorial contexts. In order to achieve the final objective of the project and to articulate emerging responses from the new research directions, several key activities were undertaken over the three year period: An internship at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as part of the City Region Food Systems Programme; Field work in Castel del Giudice; International research at the Cátedra Tierra Ciudadana within the Polytechnic University of Valencia. These experiences allowed a comprehensive analysis not only of three different local food policies, but also of three different evaluation approaches: Evaluation of the Valencia Food Strategy; Evaluation of the resilience of the food system in Rome; Evaluation of social innovation in the food plan of Castel del Giudice. These three different research experiences, which have also been the subject of three separate publications (Curcio et al., 2022; Curcio, 2024/a; Curcio, 2024/b), have significantly influenced the methodological approach adopted in this thesis to achieve its final objective. In addition, this has allowed an exploration of food policy evaluation at three different territorial levels: Rural area: Castel del Giudice Peri-urban area: Valencia Urban area: Rome. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter introduces the concept of food as a central element of urban policy and spatial planning. It examines the development of food strategies at global, European and national levels, highlighting their role in shaping food production, distribution and consumption. It emphasises the need for a multidisciplinary approach that integrates nutritional, economic, social, environmental and cultural considerations to ensure equitable and sustainable access to food. The second chapter examines the main challenges and opportunities facing food systems at the global, European and Italian levels, illustrating how these dynamics affect sustainable development and territorial resilience. In the face of increasing environmental and social pressures, the analysis focuses on the impact of climate change, biodiversity loss and food insecurity on the capacity of food systems to meet current and future needs. Using the indicators provided by the Food System Dashboard, an overview of key challenges is presented, providing a clear picture of the issues related to the sustainability of global food systems and highlighting the need for adaptive, locally tailored food policies. The third chapter, which distinguishes between food policy impact assessment and overall food system status analysis, highlights the need for food system assessment and monitoring to fully understand the impact of food policies at the global level. It examines how these evaluation and monitoring processes can guide and improve food policies, emphasising the importance of evidence-based decision-making. Particular emphasis is placed on reviewing existing methodologies for assessing and monitoring the sustainability of food systems. The fourth chapter presents an in-depth analysis of three case studies, chosen to illustrate different methodologies for evaluating local food policies in different contexts: Valencia, Rome and Castel del Giudice. These case studies provide a comparative and multidimensional view of food policies, highlighting territorial differences as well as common themes applicable at different scales. The comparative analysis highlights the importance of participatory governance and sustainability as key factors for the success of local food policies, and demonstrates how an integrated, multi-scalar approach can promote effective and resilient policy development. Finally, the fifth chapter proposes a methodological framework for the evaluation of the Castel del Giudice food plan, based on the different stages of the doctoral research. The chapter outlines how the results of the evaluation can be used to formulate concrete recommendations for improving the local food policy of Castel del Giudice. The aim is to create a virtuous circle of continuous feedback and updating that can drive the development of an increasingly effective and sustainable food policy for the municipality of Castel del Giudice.