Revitalizing Regions: Assessing Agricultural and Industrial Strategies in Southern Italy

ongoing

"The MSCA project ""Revitalizing Regions: Assessing Agricultural and Industrial Strategies in Southern Italy"" (REVITAL-IT) investigates the long-term impact of place-based measures on economic growth and structural transformation, focusing on Southern Italy's post-WWII Extraordinary Intervention for the Mezzogiorno (EIM). Managed by the state agency ""Cassa per il Mezzogiorno,"" the EIM was a significant development strategy involving substantial investments in agricultural and industrial policies over four decades. REVITAL-IT aims to assess which public sector measures - agricultural productivity enhancements or industrial policies - more effectively foster economic advancement in disadvantaged regions. The project will use advanced econometric methods to analyze the impacts of these interventions, examining both direct effects and spillover impacts on neighboring areas. The project has two main objectives: (O1) to evaluate the impact of agricultural aid on long-term growth and structural transformation, and (O2) to determine the effectiveness of specific industrial policies, distinguishing among different types of interventions. REVITAL-IT will provide novel insights by analyzing the historical context of the EIM, contributing to the design of future policies aimed at reducing regional disparities and promoting economic convergence. This research is highly relevant to the EU's Cohesion Policy, which seeks to promote social cohesion and reduce inequalities through targeted interventions in disadvantaged areas. By examining historical interventions in Southern Italy, REVITAL-IT will inform contemporary policy-making, offering invaluable lessons for addressing growth and structural change in similar contexts."