Multimethod SWOT Analysis of Hazelnut Supply Chain in Italy

The current conditions and potentialities of the Italian agro-environmental context are threatened by global challenges, typical phenomena of changing climate and other manifold environmental concerns that affect it sustainability performances. Mitigation and adaptation strategies to these challenges are strongly encouraged, and such a process involves innovations for the socio-economic development, sustainable agricultural practices and community welfare, in compliance with SDGs and the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience. In the agro-food sector this translates into innovative and integrated supply chains, so as to positively impact on the aspects that confer a competitive edge to food products and counteract the loss of market share at international level observed for some products, especially in the fruit sector. The research takes place in the framework of the national-funded project VALTIFRU 4.0, and specifically focuses on the hazelnut sector, which still have a certain relevance at the national level but is indeed one of the most vulnerable to adverse conditions. While the features of the hazelnut growing system in Piedmont and Tuscia areas are quite well-known and more commonly investigated, a scarcer knowledge is currently at disposal about the role and potentialities of hazelnut growing in Southern Italy. The present work aspires to fill this gap and focuses on the analysis of the relevant sector in Calabria region, which is currently the fifth hazelnut producing area in Italy. Stemming from the overall characterization of the Italian hazelnut supply chain, it has the core purpose to depict the local background context, in order to support the elaboration of proper interventions for innovating and enforcing the resilience of local agriculture and communities to both national and global challenges.