Italy

The Italian agricultural research system

(Public sector)

Italian agricultural research should be considered in its broadest sense: sustainable production, diet and nutrition, food safety, ecology, rural development and landscape management.
The system for agricultural higher education and research is mainly under the authority of 6 Ministries: Agricultural and Forestry Policy; Education, University and Research; Health; Productive Activities; Environment; Foreign Affairs.
The higher education in agricultural sciences is under responsability of the Universities.
Regions are also involved in defining needs and priorities research in agriculture. The regional network operates through temporary groups with competence, one of which is focused on organic food and farming. Regions and Provinces (23 institutions) can also autonomously define research programs and fund research projects. The decisions taken at Regional network level become the basis to launch common research calls at regional and inter-regional level.

Ministries in charge of the agricultural research system

– Education, University and Research : www.miur.it
– Agricultural and Forestry Policy : www.politicheagricole.it
- The Italian research system on agriculture and related to Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policies is based on different branches of Institutions.
– Health : www.ministerosalute.it
– Productive Activities : www.minindustria.it
– Environment : www.minambiente.it
– Foreign Affairs : www.esteri.it

Institutes mainly devoted to agricultural research

(under the surveillance of Ministry of Agriculture and forestry policies)

– CRA : www.entecra.it
– INRAN - National Research Insitute for food and human nutrition (http://www.inran.it )
– INEA - National Institute of agricultural economy (http://www.inea.it)
– ISMEA - Institute for study of agricultural market (http://www.ismea.it )
– “Lazzaro Spallanzani” Institute : animal reproduction and selection research (http://www.istitutospallanzani.it)

Other research Institutes

– CNR (www.cnr.it) National Research Council: national research body related to Ministry of Education University and Research (some institues specifically devoted to agriculture research)
– IZS: 10 Institutes involved in veterinary fields; each one has its own site. Links to the different sites can be found on www.politicheagricole.it or www.ministerosalute.it
– SSI; 6 Institutes involved in agro-industry ; each one has its own site; www.ssica.it; www.ssiseta.it; www.ssog.it; www.ssea.it; www.sperimentalecarta.it; www.ssip.it
– ICRAM: fishery and acquaculture (www.icram.it )
– ENEA (National Body for New Technologies, Energy and Environment): Research Centre related to Ministry of Environment (http://www.enea.it )
– IAMB (Institute for Mediterrranean Agronomy of Bari): International Centre related to Ministry for Foreign Affairs (http://www.iamb.it )
– IAO: (www.iao.florence.it). The technical and scientific branch of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
– ISS: (www.iss.it). The technical and scientific branch of the Ministry of Health.

Other research Institutions under the surveillance of Regional or local administration

Hereby some examples: Laimburg Research Centre for agriculture and forestry (Bolzano Province, http://www.laimburg.it)
2) Agricultural Institute in San Michele all’Adige (Trento Province http://www.ismaa.it )
3) Research Centre for Fruit and Vegetable production - CRPV (Emilia Romagna Region http://www.crpv.it )
4) Research Centre for Animal Production - CRPA (Emilia Romagna Region) http://www.crpa.it/home/it)

Higher Education and research

• Universities

Conferenza dei rettori delle Univerisità italiane (CRUI) : http://www.crui.it

• Faculty of Agronomics Sciences

• Faculty of Veterinary Sciences

Applied research and extension

• Regional Agencies