Explore the gripping realities of climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector in our latest episode featuring Lisa Bellocchi, an esteemed agricultural journalist and chairman of the European Network of Agricultural Journalists. Lisa provides an in-depth look into the challenges Italian farmers face due to climate change, from extreme weather events to shifting cropping patterns.
Learn about the innovative adaptations being made, such as high-tech irrigation systems, protective nets against hail, and the development of new seed varieties. Discover the support measures in place, including technology, farmer training, and rainwater storage projects, all part of Italy's National Resilience and Recovery Plan. Lisa also discusses the role of agricultural journalists in keeping farmers and the public informed about climate change.
Interested in understanding the intersection of climate change and agriculture? Gain a unique perspective from one of Europe's leading agricultural journalists.
Get further insight into climate change and the agricultural sector here.
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John Reilly -
Francesco Cavazza -
Tom O’Dwyer -
Lisa Bellocchi
- With prolonged summer droughts and unexpected Mediterranean hurricanes, Italy's changing climate causes issues for the agricultural sector.
- Farmers in Italy are adjusting by diversifying their crops, such as cultivating bananas and avocados in Sicily and peanuts in Emilia Romagna and Piedmont.
- The European Network of Agricultural Journalists promotes mutual enrichment and access to qualified agricultural information by fostering knowledge exchange and information sharing among journalists from various nations.
In this series
Prior to joining MIT in 1998, John Reilly spent 12 years with the Economic Research Service of USDA. He received his PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and holds a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin. Much of Dr. Reilly’s 40-year research career has focused on climate change, including agriculture and land use emissions and carbon dioxide sinks, as well as the potential effects of climate change on agriculture.
Francesco Cavazza is an agronomist and agricultural economist at Acquacampus, the research unit of the Canale Emiliano Romagnolo. After obtaining a Master’s degree in Agriculture, he carried out his PhD at the University of Bologna, focusing on the use of Decision Support System for irrigation and water management. Currently, Francesco’s work is entirely dedicated to irrigation and water management, with a focus on the development and estimation of irrigation and climate indicators, economic analysis, and nature-based solutions for water management in agriculture.
Tom O’Dwyer holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from University College Dublin, a Master’s in Business Administration and a PhD in Business Administration from the Waterford Institute of Technology. In his current role, Tom is responsible for the national development, implementation and leadership of the Signpost Programme, the goal of which is to lead and support farmers in climate action. Over his 27-year career with Teagasc, he has held a number of previous roles, including Head of Dairy Knowledge Transfer, Regional Manager, Dairy Specialist and REPS Adviser.
Lisa Bellocchi has been a well-known personality on Italian television for 30 years, as she has hosted the news programmes of Emilia Romagna and national programmes such as «Italia Agricoltura» and «Prodotto Italia».
In September 2021, Lisa was elected President of ENAJ, the European Network of Agricultural Journalists, which brings together some 3500 specialized professionals from 27 countries. She is President of the Association of Agricultural, Agri-food and Environmental Journalists of Emilia Romagna -Marche-Umbria.
