Mediterranean food value chain: focus on Italy

There is little doubt that agriculture and food represent two of the most discussed topics in the debate on the future of human development on Earth. As also highlighted by the series of international events that have taken place during the past year, issues such as food safety, security and sustainability have been increasingly challenging the capability of all social actors to cope with more and more discouraging global socio-economic and environmental trends. This is particularly true with reference to agri-food companies, especially those operating in the Mediterranean area, where the sector is a pillar of the majority of the economies and, consequently, in Italy, where the sector remains a vital component of a generally stagnant national economy. Given this premise, the purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the agri-food sector in the Mediterranean area.