The long-term fortunes of territories as a route for agri-food policies: evidence from Geographical Indications

Once the EU has perceived strategic importance of local peculiarities to support rural development and high-quality productions, it emphasized need for more place-sensitive agri-food policies. The socio-economic, historical cultural factors as transfers intangible value-added is particularly evident in sector. Place-blind sectorial-oriented approaches have indeed not succeeded dealing with territorial heterogeneity systems. By delving into longstanding debate on conceptualizations territory focusing territories origin most economically performant Italian Protected Designation Origins (PDOs), this paper empirically investigates what are contextual conditions that mainly contributed economic success productions. Drawing an original geo-referenced database, analysis conducted a panel municipalities exploits non-linear dynamic models. Findings point out affecting factors. Imbalances come from both socio-economic (food PDOs) socio-cultural knowledge (wine PDOs). This informs evidence-based relevance territorially-sensitive interventions future In case GIs, should consider being well integrated other agricultural regional policies meet EU’s objectives.