The Twin Transition in the Agrifood sector

Abstract

Creating a business is a risky and time-consuming activity, but what’s even harder is changing it. Once the perfect business structure is found and proved operational, in most business cases, the next thing to do is keep everything working as usual. Today this is a problem. Because of changes in the ecosystem in which businesses are set in, the “working as usual” formula can no longer work. Sustainability related problems, like climate disasters, greenhouse gas emissions, increasing population and food consumption and changing consumer behaviours require a new way of conducting business activities. This paper analyses how the Twin Transition, current main topic of debate in the European Commission policies, will influence, and evolve businesses and societies, from educational aspects to complete value chains renewal, to better adapt to changes in the ecosystem and upcoming sustainable and digital trends. The first chapter will provide a better understanding of the Twin Transition, analysing separately the digital and green transition’s enablers and barriers. In the second chapter the focus will be more on the Twin Transition applied in the agrifood sector, analysing innovations, new business activities in the sustainability and digital field and implications for stakeholders. The third chapter will be an analytical review of the agrifood sector in the Italian context. Finally, the fourth chapter will provide statistics and insights about the conducted interviews to managers in the agrifood sector in the Veneto region, concerning topics related to the Twin Transition.