EU rural areas cover over 80% of its surface; the per capita income in these areas is, however, up to 30% lower than the EU average. The rest of the community pays for the environmental, social and economical conservation of these rural areas. In the long term, according to WTO rules, the EU works towards a substantial and progressive reduction of its support and protection of agricultural activities in member states. In this scenario, the survival of rural areas, including the preservation of the unique environmental, social and productive local contexts, depends on the shift from traditional agricultural paradigms to new economic models. This requires the promotion of processes focused mainly on increasing the efficiency and added-value of rural activities. The concept of “Multifunctionality” is central to the development of these initiatives. “Multifunctionality” in agriculture refers to the concept that agriculture can have many functions in addition to those traditionally which are recognised: the production of noncommodity goods such as energy, the promotion of high-quality and safe food and non-food standards, the protection of the environment, the conservation and improvement of rural landscapes, the supply of educational, touristic and recreational activities. The project aims at studying, recognising (existing) or conceiving new (not yet existing) productive/economic opportunities to increase the income of rural businesses while defending their traditional role within the territory. The work is developed in partnership with the Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori, the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano and local administrations.
Principal Academic Tutors
Maria Cristina Treu
Architecture and Planning, Politecnico di Milano
Academic Tutors
Daniele Bignami
Fondazione Politecnico di Milano
Tommaso Buganza
Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano
Andrea Calori
Architecture and Planning, Politecnico di Milano
Francesco Coviello
Architecture and Planning, Politecnico di Milano
Giorgio Ferraresi
Architecture and Planning, Politecnico di Milano
Carlo Peraboni
Architecture and Planning, Politecnico di Milano
External institution
CIA – Confederazione Italiana
Agricoltori, Milano e Lodi
Beni Publici s.r.l.
External Tutors
Paola Santeramo
CIA – Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori
Pietro Torresan
Beni Pubblici s.r.l.
Team members
TEAM A
Mahael Fedele [Project Communication Coordinator, Team controller], Civil Engineering
C. Helin Balliktas, Mechanical Engineering
Lorenzo Colombo, Environmental and Land Planning Engineering
Dario Mostarda, Mechanical Engineering