Economics of Innovation

A.Y. 2024/2025
6
Max ECTS
48
Overall hours
SSD
AGR/01
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
To develop expertise on role, characteristics and patterns of innovation in the agricultural sector.
Specific goals concern expertise on:
- conceptual and methodological framework for economic analysis of innovation in agriculture;
- economic history of agricultural development;
- agricultural input markets (seeds, plant protection, fertilizers, feedings, machinery and equipment);
- role and characteristics of public and private agricultural research;
- intellectual property (patents, plant variety rights) and technology transfer in agriculture;
Expected learning outcomes
Ability to obtain market information on ag-input sectors;
Understanding of intellectual property legislation in agriculture;
Patent data processing (validation, sorting, summarization, aggregation, classification, analysis, reporting)
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
1) Introduction: economic theory of innovation (micro and macroeconomics remands); process and product innovations; innovation and market equilibrium; innovation's role in the Production Possibility Frontier. (0,5 CFU)
2) Agricultural economic history in the last two centuries: evolution of production, price and consumption; production factors: land, capital and labor; partial productivities; Total Factor Productivity (TFP); Productivity Growth decomposition; growth pathways. (1,5 CFU)
3) Technical progress in agriculture. Topics and spread pathways of the agricultural innovations. Ag-inputs markets: fertilizers, pesticides and seeds; feedstuffs; ag-machineries. (1,5 CFU)
4) Guide to use the investigation and update sources: websites, data sets (FAO, World Bank), public reports. (0,5 CFU)
5) Research and innovation. Public and private agricultural research. National and International ag-research system (CREA, CGIAR). (0,5 CFU)
6) Intellectual Property Rights. Patent system. UPOV Convention. A guide to Patents dataset. (1,5 CFU)
7) Monographic part: agbiotech innovations; topics and spread. Guide to use the investigation and update sources. (0,5 CFU)
Prerequisites for admission
Essentials of Economics.
Teaching methods
The teacher will supply the teaching equipment directly for memory devices and the information to approach Reports, News and Statistics on the Web. Some lectures and seminars with ag-input market's players on topics related to the course will be organized.
Teaching Resources
Federico, G. - Breve storia economica dell'agricoltura, Il Mulino 2009 (also available like: G. Federico - Feeding the world - Princeton University Press)
Fuglie, K. - Harvesting Prosperity. Technology and Productivity Growth in Agriculture. World Bank Group 2020 https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/32350/9781464813931.pdf
Scientific papers, reports and other materials on Web
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will consist in an oral discussion about the teaching and in a final oral presentation (PowerPoint) of a case study. Evaluation criteria: ability to organize discursively knowledge; critical reasoning ability on the study carried out; ability to use data, quality of exposure: effectiveness, linearity. language mastery.
Test score in thirties.
Students with SLD or disability certifications are kindly requested to contact the teacher at least 15 days before the date of the exam session to agree on individual exam requirements. In the email please make sure to add in cc the competent offices: [email protected] (for students with SLD) o [email protected] (for students with disability).
AGR/01 - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL APPRAISAL - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Shifts:
Turno
Professor: Frisio Dario Gianfranco