Perception of the agri-food production and sustainable food habits in Italian regions.

Abstract

The global increase in food demand determined the implementation of more intensive agriculture practices using chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, which ultimately impact the quality of soil and water, as well as consumers' health. Large-scale production allows for lower prices and readily available products to consumers, in response to a more fast-paced lifestyle. On the contrary, local and small-scale agricultural production involves higher production and selling prices of products, available in smaller quantities and following natural seasonality. Nevertheless, a sustainable agri-food chain closes the distance from the producer to the consumer, sustaining local communities and the environment by respecting its phenology. This aspect is of growing importance for local authorities and communities as in the Piemonte region, Italy, where slow food production is directly linked to landscape conservation and slow tourism. This thesis is carried out in the frame of the research project “Abitudini alimentari in Italia e la percezioni della popolazione in merito alla produzione alimentare e all'agricoltura sostenibile”, of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. The project aims at understanding food buying habits in Italy, and the perception of food quality in relation to health, the environment and the scale of production. This thesis will focus on understanding people's perception of small-scale and large-scale agricultural production, and the awareness of sustainable agricultural practices. An anonymous questionnaire of 14 questions was shared online and on paper to target individuals from several Italian regions, stating age, sex, religion, job and education title. The resulting answers are analysed with a qualitative approach, in order to understand the grassroots of people's attitude, emotion and view of food production and consumption, underlying perception differences among age groups.