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For many rural areas of Italy, particularly hilly and mountain landscapes such as the Apennines and the Alps, the chestnut represents a typical tree crop. However, whilst various studies have analysed technical efficiency in relation to olive, wine, and citrus production, finding that land capital endowment is one of the most important inputs able to impact productivity and technical efficiency in those sectors, technical efficiency in Italian chestnut farming has not previously been investigated. The purpose of this study, then, was to assess through a quantitative approach the level of technical efficiency in chestnut farming in various Italian provinces following the NUTS 3 classification standard, and using a dataset of farms specialised in chestnut cultivation that are included in the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and that received some form of CAP subsidy during the period 2008–2020. Moreover, using the results of this analysis, the study aims to evaluate the specific role that subsides allocated through the first and second pillars of the CAP have had on technical efficiency in this sector. The findings reveal that financial subsides allocated under the first pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy have impacted technical efficiency in a positive way. The novelty of this research lies in its assessment of technical efficiency in relation to chestnut farming. Moreover, through the use of Multi-directional Efficiency Analysis, it has been possible to assess patterns of technical inefficiency in farming in some Italian provinces where chestnuts are cultivated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed at investigating which drivers influence the economic sustainability of mountain farms, in particular the effects of diversification strategies, with reference to the Italian Alps. We analyzed data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) and used Structural Equation Modeling to examine the relationships between farm resources and their economic performance. The sample is composed of 938 farms included in the 2015 FADN database and located in Alpine municipalities. They are mainly involved in dairy farming, fruit growing, viticulture and sheep and goat rearing, and half are managed by young and female entrepreneurs. There are two main results of this research: first, confirmation that diversification strategies can positively affect farm income, even for Alpine farms. Second, it is mainly young people who are orienting their farms towards multifunctionality, by bringing a set of skills that combine tradition and innovation to agriculture and Alpine territories. These results are quite informative and useful for policy making to support mountain agriculture and sustainable development of Alpine territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]