ICT tools and policies to support the ecological and digital transitions promoted by the NRRP: the role of local agrifood systems

The doctoral thesis, entitled “ICT tools and policies to support the ecological and digital transitions promoted by the NRRP: the role of local agrifood systems”, addresses the topic of the adoption of digital technologies in the agri-food sector, with a particular focus on local agricultural systems and the context of the ecological and digital transitions promoted by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The research is part of the broader debate on the potential of Agriculture 4.0 as a tool to increase production efficiency, improve environmental sustainability and promote innovation in rural areas, while highlighting the barriers that limit its diffusion. The thesis is divided into three main chapters. The first one analyses in depth the determinants of the acceptance of 4.0 technologies by the actors of the agri-food system. After a historical reconstruction of the main innovations in agriculture - from traditional agriculture (1.0) to the current paradigm of digital agriculture (4.0) - the concept of Agriculture 4.0 and its key elements, including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, drones, decision support systems (DSS), machine learning and blockchain, are explored. The theoretical analysis is based on the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model), integrated with economic, social, political, environmental and technological factors, to understand the main drivers and obstacles to adoption. Among the most relevant barriers are identified the complexity of technologies, the high cost of initial investments, the lack of management and digital skills, the absence of an adequate regulatory framework and the perception of uncertainty about the benefits that can be obtained. The second chapter presents an empirical study on the adoption of 4.0 technologies in agriculture through the analysis of the preferences expressed by a representative sample of farmers from Apulia. The survey was conducted through Choice Experiments (CE) on 1,492 agricultural producers, selected through face-to-face interviews in the six provincial capitals of Apulia. The econometric analysis, conducted with latent class models (Latent Class Model), allowed us to identify four distinct segments of farmers, each characterized by specific preferences towards the proposed technologies (smart irrigation, drones, monitoring systems, DSS, blockchain). The results highlight that farmers' decisions are strongly influenced by variables such as age, level of education, size and type of company, managerial skills and perception of the external environment. Younger farmers and those with larger companies are more likely to adopt innovative technologies, while older farmers show greater resistance to change. The third chapter is dedicated to the evaluation of the technical efficiency of Italian wineries that adopt integrated production systems, an area where digital technologies can play a crucial role in the sustainable management of resources. The analysis, based on micro-business economic data and the use of the stochastic frontier model, shows that the most technologically advanced companies achieve better results in terms of production efficiency. The integration of 4.0 technologies with sustainable agronomic practices allows to optimize the use of inputs such as water, fertilizers and pesticides, reducing the environmental impact and improving the quality of the product. In conclusion, the thesis provides a significant contribution to the academic and political debate on the role of digital technologies in the sustainable transition process of Italian agriculture. It underlines the importance of targeted public policies, based on economic incentive tools, technical training and consultancy support, to overcome the barriers to adoption and promote a fair and widespread diffusion of innovations. The work stands out for its multidisciplinary approach and for the strong connection with territorial policies and European strategies, offering useful operational ideas for rural development programming and for strengthening the resilience of local agri-food systems.