Rural Development of the Region of Tuscany

The 2014-2022 Rural Development Programme of the Tuscany Region aims to stimulate the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, ensure the sustainable management of natural resources and achieve balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities. Implementation of the Programme is entrusted to the Managing Authority, which is also the guarantor of its evaluation. By choosing to subject it to an independent evaluation, supported over time by thematic in-depth studies, the Region builds solid evidence to steer its support tools for the agricultural and forestry sector.

In detail

For eight years Lattanzio KIBS has been working on the Programme throughout its cycle, in dialogue with the Managing Authority: from the preliminary feasibility analysis to the periodic review of results, up to the ex post evaluation. A quality system, defined through a dedicated Plan, governs its delivery.

Alongside this path, thematic in-depth studies take the evaluation into the field, from the effectiveness of communication to good practices and LEADER. The impact evaluation, with counterfactual analysis, verifies whether the Programme has achieved its set objectives. An example is the study on organic farming: using Earth observation data, processed with Centrale Valutativa, the yields of organic and conventional plots located side by side in Val d'Orcia are compared. An efficient, cost-effective and flexible method, presented in Vilnius at the EU CAP Network Good Practice Workshop.

Access the Report here.

Project impact

The evidence helps decision-makers understand what really changes for farmers and territories: whether a support measure achieves its purpose, under what conditions, with what effects on farm income. The study on organic farming shows, for example, that the economic advantage depends on price trends and public support.

For citizens, it means agricultural policies grounded in objective evidence and public resources used more effectively, in favour of sustainable agriculture. An experience that the evaluator also brings to the European debate.