Point of contact at UniTrento
dott. Matteo Ferrari (coordinator)
dott. Simone Cerroni

Members
prof.ssa Emanuela Bozzini
prof.ssa Francesca Forno

Research Goals and Topics
This research group brings together scholars working on the complex challenges facing contemporary food systems to support a transition toward more sustainable and equitable models of production and consumption. The focus is not only on technical innovation but also on the broader social, cultural, political, and environmental dimensions of transforming the food system.
The group examines how processes of change emerge and take shape across different levels, involving diverse actors, institutions, and modes of organisation. It explores the internationalisation of agri-food regulation through a comparative lens, with particular attention to:

  • The regulation of precision agriculture
  • The regulation of innovation, including the protection of new plant varieties and policies for technology transfer
  • The regulation of sustainability, especially through private law initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and landscape

Another area of focus is the investigation of how consumers and producers perceive and respond to innovation in the agri-food sector, using approaches grounded in marketing, behavioural, and experimental analysis. Key topics include:

  • Acceptance of innovative and sustainable products and packaging solutions
  • Acceptance of policies aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable diets and lifestyles, including interventions such as nudging and taxation (e.g., sugar, fat, plastic taxes)
  • Adoption of sustainable production systems, characterised by lower carbon footprints and reduced use of pesticides, nitrates, and phosphates
  • Adoption of risk management tools such as multi-peril insurance, mutual funds, and futures contracts

The group also investigates:

  • Emerging alternative forms of food distribution and consumption
  • The development and implementation of local food policies
  • The politics of pesticide regulation within the European Union