arXiv subjects

Arianna Di Paola

Publications and source records attributed to Arianna Di Paola.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Accounting for environmental awareness in wheat production through Life Cycle Assessment

This paper presents a modeling framework for simulating the decision-making processes of artificial farms populating an agent-based model for the Italian wheat production system. The decision process is based on a mathematical programming model with which farms (i.e., agents) decide the target yield (production per hectare) and the mix of inputs needed to obtain such production, namely 1) fertilizers, 2) herbicides, and 3) insecticides. The environmental impacts of conventional production practices are assessed through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), using the ReCiPe 2016 methodology at the Endpoint level. Agents are made aware of the environmental consequences of their choices through two indicators: Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), which capture human health impacts, and the number of species lost per year, reflecting impacts on ecosystems. By internalizing this information, agents can make more balanced and sustainable production decisions.

econ.GN↗

arXiv2025

A Computational Approach to Sustainable Policies Evaluation of the Italian Wheat Production System

This work outlines the modeling steps for developing a tool aimed at supporting policymakers in guiding policies toward more sustainable wheat production. In the agricultural sector,policies affect a highly diverse set of farms, which differ across several dimensions such as size,land composition, local climate, and irrigation availability. To address this significant heterogeneity, we construct an Agent-Based Model (ABM). The model is initialized using a representative survey of Italian farms, which captures their heterogeneity. The ABM is then scaled to include a number of farms comparable to those operating nationwide. To capture broader dynamics, the ABM is integrated with two additional components:a global model of international wheat markets and a tool for assessing the environmental impacts of wheat production. This integrated framework enables us to account for the feedback loop between global prices and local production while evaluating the environmental implications of policy measures.

econ.GN↗