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The objective of this text is to provide non-economists with an analytical tool by which to understand various aspects of how contemporary agriculture and agribusiness systems function. It will begin by outlining Porter’s value chain paradigm and Porter’s value system. Thereafter, there will follow an overview of the meaning of agricultural value chain (AVC) and its main features.

The development of rural areas requires the adoption of technology innovation and market approach strategies without departing from the specific features of local production systems, such as agricultural practices and the wealth of knowledge of operators. It is even better the exploitation of these resources to characterize the competitive positioning of territorial systems. In this framework, the cooperative Rinascita, which works in an internal rural area of Sicily region (Southern Italy), represents an attempt to maintain agricultural activities, traditions and rural culture as well as to promote and contribute to the development of the area by giving value to and promoting, a typical local production: the “pomodoro siccagno”. Such type of tomato, not a very remunerative kind of product, is grown in areas where alternative crops are few or not available. The aim of the paper is to investigate, through the empirical analysis of a case study, on the capacity of the agricultural cooperative sector to undertake innovative processes and to activate multiplicative processes of local development. The importance of the cooperative Rinascita is real and outstanding: despite being still quite modest in terms of quantity of processed tomato and turnover, it has allowed the members of the cooperative to process and directly sell their tomato, freeing themselves from commercial intermediaries operating in the area.

The objective of this text is to provide noneconomists with an analytical tool with which to understand some of the more important trends in the food system and to improve the interpretation of the complex and rapid changes to which this field is subject. The text will begin with a general description of the main characteristics of traditional agricultural markets and then examine modern agricultural markets and related issues, such as industrialization and globalization. Finally, the text will address some of the implications of recent events in global agricultural markets regarding food security and the goal of zero hunger.

Aquaponics is largely recognized as a solution for sustainable food production as it follows a biomimetic natural system and the circular economy principles, allowing large food productivity on nonagricultural land, and at the same time strongly reducing inputs and waste. In this study, we collected technical, economic and production data from a pilot aquaponic plant producing lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) realized in an urban context in Sicily (Southern Italy), very suitable area for aquaponic production in relation to the Mediterranean climate. Through the determination of Net return and Break Even Point, analysing on one side the items which contribute to the investment (planning, construction and set up) and to the running costs, and on the other side the revenues from sales of lettuce and tilapia, its financial feasibility has been assessed. The results of the financial analysis performed for the first year of the experimental activity of the pilot unit have clearly demonstrated that aquaponic farming is likely to be profitable since the operating income is positive and about €290. The sensitivity analysis outlined in this paper suggests that the economic viability of the pilot unit might be slightly more susceptible to a decrease in total revenue rather than in operating costs. Findings provide important insights to help future aquaponic entrepreneurs formulate a business plan and allow a wider development of such a productive technology as a valid technique in boosting urban farming in the Mediterranean climate.