Explore the vast range of titles available.

The ongoing climate crisis and growing water scarcity are exerting increasing pressure on agriculture in Southern and Western Europe, leading to reduced crop yields, greater risk of land abandonment, and deterioration of soil quality. Despite the extensive literature on irrigation and water use in agriculture, the specific relationship between irrigation availability and changes in the type of farming (ToF) remains insufficiently investigated. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing data from the 2010 and 2020 Italian General Agricultural Censuses conducted by ISTAT, in combination with microdata from the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), focusing on irrigated farms in Southern Italy. Descriptive analysis reveals that over 60% of irrigated farms specialize in permanent crops and predominantly adopt efficient irrigation systems such as drip irrigation. Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 23.8% of farms changed their ToF; however, these transitions were not generally associated with improvements in productivity or profitability. Results from logistic regression models suggest that structural variables—including Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA), economic size, and demographic characteristics such as the farmer’s gender—play a more significant role in determining changes in the ToF than the presence of irrigation itself. Moreover, the adoption of organic practices and larger farm sizes are positively associated with ToF changes. These findings suggest that while there has been some shift toward less water-demanding and potentially more sustainable crops, the impact of irrigation on such transitions remains limited. The results underscore the need for more targeted agricultural policies and improved data collection to support effective climate adaptation strategies in the sector.

Among its various targets on restoring natural habitats and ecosystems in the EU, the recently adopted Nature Restoration Law (NRL) introduces ambitious targets for restoring surface water bodies (SWBs) as well. Simultaneously, the Italian CAP Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027 has been designed to enhance sustainable agricultural practices, including water resource management. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the synergies, gaps, and challenges between these two regulatory frameworks, focusing on sustainable water use in Italian agriculture. A two-level comparative matrix methodology is employed to evaluate the alignment between the NRL’s objectives for freshwater ecosystems and the measures taken by the Italian CAP Strategic Plan on water resources. The results highlight key areas of convergence, existing shortcomings, and necessary steps for aligning Italian agricultural policies with the EU’s water restoration goals. The findings offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders engaged in water governance, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural sustainability.

Among its various targets on restoring natural habitats and ecosystems in the EU, the recently adopted Nature Restoration Law (NRL) introduces ambitious targets for restoring surface water bodies (SWBs) as well. Simultaneously, the Italian CAP Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy 2023–2027 has been designed to enhance sustainable agricultural practices, including water resource management. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the synergies, gaps, and challenges between these two regulatory frameworks, focusing on sustainable water use in Italian agriculture. A two-level comparative matrix methodology is employed to evaluate the alignment between the NRL’s objectives for freshwater ecosystems and the measures taken by the Italian CAP Strategic Plan on water resources. The results highlight key areas of convergence, existing shortcomings, and necessary steps for aligning Italian agricultural policies with the EU’s water restoration goals. The findings offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders engaged in water governance, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural sustainability.

This paper explores the innovation capacity of a rural territory and, particularly, the fanners' attitude towards innovation under different rural governance models. To this end, an empirical analysis is proposed, comparing groups of farmers working with or without rural governance. Our working hypothesis is that the presence of rural governance should stimulate the willingness of fanners to adopt innovation. In fact, the results demonstrate that this assumption is not always true: our empirical analysis highlights a territorial indifference as regards the adoption of innovation in farming activity which might be ascribed to a failure of rural governance.

La politique pour les services de vulgarisation agricole (SVA) a été revitalisée dans les dernières phases d'élaboration des politiques de développement rural (2007/2013), pour responsabiliser le capital humain en agriculture. Un paquet plus large de mesures, destinées à améliorer l'offre de services de vulgarisation au niveau des exploitations, a été prévu et des ressources financières ont été allouées dans toutes les régions italiennes afin de renforcer ces mesures. Le but de cet article est de vérifier si à une telle proportion de financement correspondent des niveaux élevés d'utilisation des services par les exploitations. En assimilant les agriculteurs aux utilisateurs de SVA, l'analyse propose une classification des exploitations agricoles sur la base de leur propension à consommer des services. Mots-clés: vulgarisation, stratégies de développement rural, agriculteurs, Italie. The policy for agricultural extension services (AES) has been revitalized during the last phases of rural development policies (2007/2013), to empower human capital in agriculture. A wider package of measures aiming at improving the provision of extension services at farm level is foreseen and financial resources have been allocated in all Italian regions, to strengthen the measures. The paper aims at testing whether such a high proportion of funding matches high levels of utilization of services on behalf of the farms. By assimilating farmers to consumers of AES, the analysis proposes a classification of the farms on the basis of their propensity to consume services. Keywords: extension activities, rural development strategies, farmers, Italy.

This paper explores the innovation capacity of a rural territory and, particularly, the farmers' attitude towards innovation under different rural governance models. To this end, an empirical analysis is proposed, comparing groups of farmers working with or without rural governance. Our working hypothesis is that the presence of rural governance should stimulate the willingness of farmers to adopt innovation. In fact, the results demonstrate that this assumption is not always true: our empirical analysis highlights a territorial indifference as regards the adoption of innovation in farming activity which might be ascribed to a failure of rural governance. Keywords: rural development, governance models, innovation Dans cet article, nous allons analyser la capacite a innover d'un territoire rural et en particulier, l'attitude aux changements des exploitations agricoles oeuvrant sous differents modeles de gouvernance rurale. A cet effet, une etude empirique est proposee pour comparer les exploitations agricoles qui relevent des modeles de gouvernance rurale par rapport aux entreprises agricoles qui ne sont regies par aucun modele de gouvernance. L'hypothese est que la presence de la gouvernance rurale devrait stimuler une plus forte propension a innover chez les exploitations agricoles. Les resultats montrent que ce principe n'est pas toujours vrai: l'analyse empirique des donnees souligne une indifference territoriale concernant l'introduction des changements dans l'activite agricole par les exploitations agricoles. Il s'agit donc d'une anomalie dans la gouvernance rurale. Mots-cles: developpement rural, modeles de gouvernance, innovation.

Recent rural development policies aim at stimulating a new paradigm of rural development, with a new role for agricultural activities. A completely renewed set of opportunities is available for farms that, if well exploited, could be a relevant tool to improve agricultural activity. The aim of our paper is to describe gender differences in the access to policies for agriculture and rural development. The analysis permits us to investigate the farms' strategies on a gender base and to qualify the new frontiers for agricultural activities, by discriminating women's and men's contribution. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The paper deals with the support system of geographical indications (GIs): more precisely, it aims at investigating the territorial dynamics of the rural knowledge, by analysing the role of agricultur al extension systems (AES) as tool to support farm's management and innovation in GI areas. By putting forward a milieu innovateur approach, we intend to verify eventual differences between GI and not GI farms in knowledge transfer and innovation adoption. Interaction and learning logics at the basis of this approach confirm differences even though with some exception based on territorial characteristics and models of AES governance.

Policy for agricultural extension services (AES) has been revitalized during the last phases of rural development policies (2007/2013), to empower human capital in agriculture. A wider package of measures aiming at improving the supply of extension at farm level is foreseen and financial resources have been allocated in all Italian regions, to strengthen the measures. The paper aims at testing whether such a high proportion of funding match high levels of utilization of services on behalf of the farms. By assimilating farmers to consumers of AES, the analysis proposes a classification of the farms on the basis of their propensity to consume services.

L. donovani and L. infantum infections are associated with a broad clinical spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic cases to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) with high mortality rates. Clinical manifestations such as post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) and visceral leishmaniasis-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis-mimic (VL-associated HLH-mimic) further contribute to the diversity of clinical manifestations. These clinical variations are intricately influenced by the complex interplay between the host’s immune response and the parasite’s escape mechanisms. This narrative review aims to elucidate the underlying immunological mechanisms associated with each clinical manifestation, drawing from published literature within the last 5 years. Specific attention is directed toward viscerotropic Leishmania sinfection in patients with inborn errors of immunity and acquired immunodeficiencies. In VL, parasites exploit various immune evasion mechanisms, including immune checkpoints, leading to a predominantly anti-inflammatory environment that favors parasite survival. Conversely, nearly 70% of individuals are capable of mounting an effective pro-inflammatory immune response, forming granulomas that contain the parasites. Despite this, some patients may experience reactivation of the disease upon immunosuppression, challenging current understandings of parasite eradication. Individuals living with HIV and those with inborn errors of immunity present a more severe course of infection, often with higher relapse rates. Therefore, it is crucial to exclude both primary and acquired immune deficiencies in patients presenting disease relapse and VL-associated HLH-mimic. The distinction between VL and HLH can be challenging due to clinical similarities, suggesting that the nosological entity known as VL-associated HLH may represent a severe presentation of symptomatic VL and it should be considered more accurate referring to this condition as VL-associated HLH-mimic. Consequently, excluding VL in patients presenting with HLH is essential, as appropriate antimicrobial therapy can reverse immune dysregulation. A comprehensive understanding of the immune-host interaction underlying Leishmania infection is crucial for formulating effective treatment and preventive strategies to mitigate the disease burden.