Farmland abandonment, public goods and the CAP in a marginal area of Italy

Land abandonment is affecting several areas of Europe, and the issue has since some years become a policy objective. The consequences land are however difficult to assess as both agriculture linked socio-environmental public goods, but relationship between good provision use, well their societal value, unclear debated. Policy such Common Agricultural affects in different ways, by providing income support targeting environmental goods.The objective paper levels welfare deriving from agricultural production three selected PGs, alternative scenarios. In reference scenario use allocation driven maximization income; we then compare these results with where decisions maximize welfare, hence including value generated three, that simulates Measure 13 Rural Development Programme (payment for Areas Facing natural or other specific Constraints). method used model calibrated hill mountain area province Bologna (Italy), which goods values choice experiments taken Emilia-Romagna region. main optimum reached through substantial change (e.g. strong reduction an increase forest areas) composition (from private toward benefits) respect optimum. Moreover, generic reduces also total it negative effects carbon sequestration soil erosion. More targeted policies, more explicitly connect provision, have better effects.