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This paper assesses the efficiency of public agricultural expenditure in each Italian region through the analysis of regional budgets, both as a whole and in relation to specific agricultural policy measures. The degree of integration/complementarity between regional funds and Community funds of the second pillar of the CAP is also evaluated, in order to determine whether European resources are used by the Regions as a substitute for or in addition to regional measures. In Italy, public agricultural funding comes from three sources: the EU, the State, and the regions. While the literature on the effectiveness and efficiency of public spending in agriculture focuses on EU funds, the present research also takes into consideration the agricultural spending of Regions. This original analysis of agricultural spending at the regional level has been made possible by the databank of the CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics), which has been gathering information on the allocations, payments, and remaining balances of regional accounts since 1990. The expenditure items for the agricultural sector included in the regional budgets were reclassified according to an original methodology created by the INEA (National Institute of Agricultural Economics, today CREA). The results show that the overall efficiency of public expenditure has improved over the last two decades (from less than 40% in 2000 to just over 50% in 2019). This improvement is quite evident in the South and the Islands and less so in the North. Agricultural policy measures that can be defined as “short term measures” (contributions to public and private entities involved in agricultural and forestry activities for running costs, such as salaries, telephone, electricity, etc.) show a good spending capacity, while measures requiring planning, such as business investments, still present difficulties. As regards integration/complementarity between regional funds and EU Fund for Rural Development Programmes (RDPs), the regions have been classified depending or whether or not they differentiate between the RDP financing and Budget financing. In the most recent period of 2014-2020, most regions have tended to target both sources of funding to support the same types of priority activities.

Organic farming in Italy is growing fast thanks to an increased focus on environmental sustainability and consumer demand thus challenging the farmers to create new working models and territorial systems. Organic land in Basilicata is more than 21% of the regional UAA , an area that has more than doubled in size since 2015. This study compares Lucanian organic farming systems with conventional farming systems and their economic benefits and is based on 2019 FADN data made up of 24% organic farms. This study could help regional policy makers to design guidelines for the 2021-2027 programming period reinforcing the green growth strategy. In fact, agricultural policy continues to focus on environmental themes (Green Deal and Farm to fork), proposing new challenges to agricultural businesses who take advantage of the competitive advantages of new models and territorial systems.

The 4.0 technologies are changing agricultural production processes and with them the agro-food supply chains, fundamental for the competitiveness of the Made in Italy and Basilicata, a region of southern Italy. It has invested in modernization and restructuring of agricultural, agri-food and forestry farms by rural development policies, which address respect for sustainability and to reduction of renewable and non-renewable resources, preserving quality and the link with the territory. Some Lucanian agricultural entrepreneurs, interested in experimenting with innovative and sustainable agriculture, has intensified relations with the local scientific world, the advisors, training institutions and with small and medium-sized agro-industrial enterprises, setting up clusters. Then European Partnerships for Innovation have formed inside them. This paper analyses the eleven Operational Groups of the Lucanian European Partnerships which represent the incubators for the digitalization of agri-food 4.0. From the analysis it emerged that the maximum expression of digitization in Basilicata is Precision Farming, as evidenced by the establishment of a specific operating group, AgrotechBasilicata. However, the other Lucanian OGs can also be classified as digital because they are interested by information collection systems, software and data analysis, as well as robotics and automation.

European agriculture and rural development policies have promoted the diversity and genetic types of autochthonous breeds to increase sheep and goat biodiversity. Agri-environmental measures to support livestock farmers, have been the main tools used by these policies over the last twenty years. The COLAUTOC, “Collection of a seed bank for native sheep and goat breeds and strategies to increase their numbers”, research project in Basilicata, Southern Italy, investigated sheep and goat farms with autochthonous breeds with results proving a reduction in the number of sheep and goat farms in general, particularly those with native breeds at risk of extinction, a clear indication of policy failure with a devastating loss of sheep and goat biodiversity. The COLAUTOC used a variety of methodological tools, including, desk analysis, focus groups, interviews, school workshops and a survey on sheep and goat meat consumption. The results indicated that a recovery in sheep and goat biodiversity could be achieved by supporting farm livestock strategies with a view to diversify production methods and activities, whilst, recognizing the value added to the territory, landscape, biodiversity and sustainability. The strategies identified by the COLAUTOC project require a local vision, using agri-environmental funds to invest in training on innovation for farms, provide tools to improve the quality of life in the rural areas, to increase communication channels to further knowledge and awareness of biodiversity. These strategies could contribute to meeting several 2030 Agenda goals.